Read: Mental health must be an essential part of the Government’s levelling up plan

With spring now firmly upon us, a feeling of positivity is creeping across the country. Restrictions easing mean that people can now meet up with friends and family outside in groups of up to six for the first time in months and life is starting to creep back to normality.

However, as the impact of Covid on physical health thankfully starts to ease, the long-term implications of the pandemic on the mental health of the population is something that we can’t ignore.

While many of us have been keeping in touch with others virtually, the absence of real human interaction can lead to increased stress levels and feelings of isolation. Older and vulnerable people may have felt this isolation hardest, with many having to shield for the best part of a year. But loneliness – and the mental health issues that stem from it – are not just a problem for older generations. The Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, which I co-chaired, found that loneliness can affect anyone, regardless of age or background but it particularly impacts carers, refugees and disabled people.

We have heard lots about the Government’s levelling up agenda in terms of the economy and jobs but what sometimes gets forgotten is the importance of health, both physical and mental. A healthy economy needs healthy people and in the aftermath of Covid-19 addressing health inequalities is going to be crucial.

Backed by £500 million of funding, the Government recently launched its Mental Health Recovery Action Plan. The plan aims to respond to the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of the public as a whole but is also aimed at groups which have been most impacted including those with severe mental illness, young people and frontline staff.

It is welcome news but to be effective, it’s absolutely vital that funding is focused and targeted at the most deprived communities. Working with partners in education, business and civic society should be an approach that supports prevention activities such as debt advice, carers support and outreach to people facing loneliness.

What is certain is that Covid-19 has disproportionately impacted certain communities and widened inequalities that already existed within society.

Before the pandemic, statistics from GP surgeries across England from the House of Commons Library showed wide disparities in levels of depression. Of the 15 areas with the highest prevalence of depression, 12 were in the North West, two in the West Midlands and one in Yorkshire, whereas 12 of the 15 areas with the lowest prevalence were in London. Meanwhile research by the Social Mobility Pledge shows that regions such as the East Midlands, East of England and West Midlands will face a double blow of low social mobility and high economic decline caused by Covid-19 which will only deepen mental health inequalities.

That’s one reason why we, at the Social Mobility Pledge, identified good health and wellbeing as one of our 14 Levelling Up Goals introduced to set out clear objectives for the UK’s levelling up challenge in the wake of the pandemic. I am working specifically to champion the good health and wellbeing goal which urges: ‘Improving mental and physical health at all ages to boost overall wellbeing to allow people to fulfil their potential.’

Mental health inequalities sometimes get overshadowed by physical health but as we look to build back better we need to address both of them side by side. We will not truly level up left behind communities unless we also tackle the mental health inequalities that exist there too.

Seema Kennedy is a former minister in the Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office, and co-chair of the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission

As featured in the i Paper.