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Mental Health

Extreme weather events such as flooding, drought and wildfires in the UK pose significant mental health risks, with long-term impacts such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

Systematic reviews confirm these risks, particularly in children, due to disrupted surroundings and adult stress. Following the 2013–2014 floods in England, there were elevated rates of mental health conditions in affected individuals: 36.2% for PTSD, 28.3% for anxiety, and 20.1% for depression, compared to much lower rates in unaffected populations. Evacuations, displacement, and prolonged home repairs exacerbate these outcomes, highlighting the need for consistent post-flood institutional support. Similarly, in the 2018 UK drought, financial stress from increased livestock feed costs led to poor farmer well-being.