Photo by Elina Fairytale: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-practicing-yoga-3822114/
Mental wellbeing challenges are clustering at both ends of the working pipeline, according to new research from Aviva, which finds the lowest self-rated mental health among 18–24-year-olds and those aged 45–54. The insurer’s Story of Health study, published on 9 October 2025, suggests employers need more targeted, life-stage support rather than one-size-fits-all offers.
Fewer than half of 18–24-year-olds (47 per cent) rate their mental health as good, versus 62 per cent across all age groups. Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of young adults describe their mental health as poor. Mid-lifers also report below-average wellbeing: 51 per cent rate their mental health as good and 19 per cent as poor. By comparison, 65 per cent of over-55s say their mental health is good.
Symptoms mirror those scores. Almost half (48 per cent) of 18–24s frequently feel overwhelmed or stressed and 43 per cent often feel anxious; one in three (33 per cent) report persistent low mood or depression. Among 45–54s, around a quarter (26 per cent) report persistent low mood and 28 per cent often feel anxious or worried – both higher than the general population (20 per cent and 24 per cent respectively).
The pressures differ by life stage. Young adults cite finances (40 per cent), work and career (35 per cent), as well as worries about the future (31 per cent) most often, with relationship challenges (27 per cent) and loneliness (25 per cent) also prominent. For 45–54s, financial pressure rises to 45 per cent, with work and career concerns (28 per cent), worries about the future (28 per cent) and health issues (28 per cent) in a tight cluster – reflecting the squeeze of peak career demands, caring responsibilities and emerging long-term health risks.
Access to help is uneven. Just over half of adults (51 per cent) feel they have the mental health support they need, but this drops to 42 per cent among 18–24s and 44 per cent for 45–54s. Where people would turn for support also diverges younger adults lean on friends and family (44 per cent) more than GPs or medical professionals (21 per cent), while 45–54s are more likely to go to primary care (44 per cent). Therapists or counsellors (20 per cent) and mental health charities or helplines (14 per cent) are secondary routes across age groups.
Social connection – one of the strongest protective factors, remains a challenge. More than a third (36 per cent) of 18–24s often or always feel lonely, versus a quarter of all adults; 27 per cent of 45–54s report the same. Barriers for young people include anxiety and other mental health issues (27 per cent), lack of confidence or embarrassment (26 per cent) and not knowing where to start (20 per cent). Time pressure is the dominant hurdle for 45–54s (28 per cent), followed by anxiety (26 per cent) and financial constraints (25 per cent).
Despite the barriers, younger adults are actively building connections: they spend an average of 3.3 hours a week socialising face-to-face outside work, second only to over-55s (3.9 hours). The time-poor 45–54s average 2.6 hours, the lowest of any group. That may help explain why midlife respondents feel least attached to their communities (41 per cent report a sense of belonging, vs 53 per cent overall). Among 18–24s, 46 per cent feel they belong locally, and a further 22 per cent want to get involved in community groups but haven’t yet taken the step.
For employers, the message is practical and immediate. For early-career workers, targeted measures might include structured financial education and debt support, flexible scheduling during transitions, access to peer networks and mentoring and manager training to spot early signs of distress. Providing easy-entry pathways to clinical support that don’t rely solely on GP referrals is also important, as it aligns with the finding that younger employees initially seek informal help.
For midlife staff, interventions should address time scarcity and cumulative stress: protected focus time, carer-friendly policies, line-manager autonomy over workload, ergonomic and health screening offers and proactive signposting to psychological services. Embedding community, through volunteering days, interest groups and supported social activities, can bolster belonging across age groups.
Dr Subashini M, medical director at Aviva UK Health, said mental health “can affect us at any stage of life, though the reasons and experiences often differ”, adding that accessible, personalised pathways are essential and that “employers, educators, healthcare providers, and policymakers” all have a role in ensuring people are not facing challenges alone.
The research underlines a broader trend visible in workplace wellbeing: symptoms and stressors are not evenly distributed, and benefits usage often lags need when support doesn’t reflect how different cohorts navigate help.
With only around half of adults feeling adequately supported, and even fewer in the youngest and midlife brackets – more tailored, life-stage design could improve engagement and outcomes. For benefits leaders, that means segmenting data by age and caring status, measuring belonging as well as clinical outcomes, and pairing culture interventions (manager capability, workload realism, community-building) with accessible treatment routes (EAP, IAPT-style therapy access, and digital support) that meet people where they are. (Interpretation grounded in Aviva findings above.)
Aviva’s Story of Health study surveyed 2,000 nationally representative UK adults in August 2025. The full findings and context are available via the company’s newsroom.
