Research reveals Londoners are the most anxious and have the worst work-life balance in the UK and many would choose to use CBD oil rather than seeing their GP
Eos Scientific has commissioned nationally representative research across a sample of more than 2000 UK adults. Their research looks into the prevalence of anxiety and depression in the UK, revealing the UK regions that are most affected by poor work-life balance induced mental health issues.
Percentage of those in employment working more than 50 hours per week
- London – 35%
- East Midlands – 25%
- West Midlands – 24%
- Wales – 23%
- Northern Ireland – 20%
- South East – 19%
- East of England – 19%
- North East – 18%
- South West – 16%
- Yorkshire & Humberside – 15%
- North West – 13%
- Scotland – 12%
Percentage of people who claim they have had anxiety/depression throughout their professional career
- London – 47%
- Wales – 47%
- North West – 38%
- Yorkshire & Humberside – 36%
- South East – 36%
- West Midlands – 35%
- East Midlands – 34%
- South West – 33%
- East of England – 29%
- Scotland – 27%
- North East – 26%
- Northern Ireland – 21%
Percentage of people that believe their work-life balance is negatively affecting their mental health
- London – 38%
- West Midlands – 35%
- Wales – 33%
- North West – 33%
- East Midlands – 32%
- South West – 30%
- South East – 27%
- North East – 25%
- East of England – 22%
- Yorkshire & Humberside – 21%
- Scotland – 19%
- Northern Ireland – 17%
With 5.9 million jobs and a median wage £12,000 more than the national average, the employment opportunities in London would lead some to believe that Londoners are better off. However, the reality is that the cost of living is more than double that of the rest of the UK and the average disposable income is £2000 less than in other UK cities like Aberdeen, Liverpool and Glasgow.
With more financial pressures, including rent prices that are the highest in the whole of Europe, Londoners are feeling the impact in terms of their mental health and wellbeing. As well as having higher living costs and higher rates of anxiety and depression, London also performed poorly in the latest wellbeing index from Happy City, beaten by Devon, Dorset and Somerset in happiness and wellbeing.
More than a third of Londoners claim to work more than 50 hours a week, leaps and bounds ahead of the second longest working region in the East Midlands, where a quarter of those in employment exceed the legal working hour limits. Working more than 48 hours per week is against the law and, while companies would not be allowed to systematically allow their workers to exceed legal limits, this does not take into account unpaid overtime, lunches not taken or unpaid weekend work.
Almost two in five Londoners believe their work-life balances have had a negative impact on their mental health, with a further 41% considering using holistic remedies like CBD oil to help manage their health rather than visiting their local GP.
