Happiness among UK young people has hit 13-year low, study finds

Mahoua Koui, 22, from Stoke, said she had found sustaining friendships during the past two years difficult. Photograph: Joel Goodman/The Guardian

Britain’s youth has lost its social swagger, with happiness and confidence among 16- to 25-year-olds plunging to a 13-year low, according to research exposing the impact of Covid.

With music festivals cancelled, nightclubs shuttered and students confined to halls of residence, 40% of young people now report being anxious about socialising with people, one-third say they don’t know how to make new friends and 35% say they’ve never felt more alone, a study by the Prince’s Trust has revealed.