The pandemic blighted the mental health of people across the north of England far more than the rest of the country, a new report has found.
Experts have estimated that the mental health crisis in the north has cost the UK economy £2 billion, on top of the losses caused by Covid-19.
A report by the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) said the findings are more evidence that the pandemic had an unequal impact across different regions.
Its authors concluded that the 'most deprived communities have suffered most'. The government pointed to a £2.3 billion boost in funding per year for mental health services by 2024. READ MORE: Woman dies after late-night moorland road crash The research found: Report co-author Clare Bambra, professor of public health at Newcastle University, said: “These findings reiterate that the pandemic has been very unequal.