Coronavirus (COVID-19) in charts: What we learned over the past month March to April 2021

There remains a wealth of information about the coronavirus and the impact it has made since the first UK lockdown just over a year ago.

Statistics from across the UK government and devolved administrations are being produced on a daily basis to capture the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

Here are five charts that tell the story of what’s been happening over the past few weeks and what we’ve learned. For the very latest figures on deaths, cases, and other pandemic-related indicators, visit our Coronavirus insights explorer.

Unemployment rates (%) for total labour force, graduates and recent graduates (aged 16 to 64) and those aged 18 to 24, from Quarter 1 2017 to Quarter 3 2020, non-seasonally adjusted

Download the data

The unemployment rate for recent graduates and 18-to-24-year-olds has reached its highest peak in four years.

In Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2020, unemployment in recent graduates (who had graduated in the past five years) was almost triple that of all graduates.

Between Quarter 1 (Jan to March), 2017 and Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2020, the average unemployment for recent graduates was 5.9% but it reached a peak of 12.0% in Quarter 3, 2020. The proportion of unemployed graduates in this time period had averaged at 3.0%, compared with the total (overall) average unemployment rate of 4.2%.

During Quarter 3, (our most recent data) 4.6% of graduates were unemployed, while the overall unemployment rate was 5.1%.

However, the unemployment rate for recent graduates remains below the non-seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate (for those aged 18 to 24 years), which stood at 14.6% in Quarter 3 2020.

Younger workers (those aged 18 to 24 years) have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. In the three months to July 2020, 18-to-24-year-olds experienced the largest decrease in employment, the largest increases in unemployment and the second-largest increase in economic inactivity (after workers aged 65 years and over).

The increase in youth unemployment is linked to younger workers' tendency to work in industries that were worst affected by the pandemic, that is, accommodation and food service activities and arts, entertainment and recreation.

Prevalence rates of self-reported long COVID according to socio-demographic characteristics, UK:four-week period ending 6 March 2021

Notes:

1. Estimates include people living in private households, and do not include those in communal establishments such as halls of residence, prisons, schools, hospitals, or care homes.

2. Date of first (suspected) coronavirus episode was taken to be the earliest of: date of first positive test for the coronavirus during study follow-up; date of first self-reported positive test for the coronavirus outside of study follow-up; and date of first suspected coronavirus infection, as reported by the participant. Those with an unknown date of first (suspected) coronavirus episode are included in the estimates for ”any duration” but not for ``duration at least 12 weeks”.

3. Participants who were not working or did not report an employment sector are not included in estimates broken down by employment sector.

4. Pre-existing health status is self-reported by study participants rather than clinically diagnosed. From February 2021, study participants were explicitly asked to exclude any symptoms related to the coronavirus when reporting their pre-existing health status.

5. Error bars are 95% confidence intervals.

Download the data

Sex, employment sector and age are among a number of characteristics that are related to rates of self-reported long COVID.

Long COVID was defined as symptoms persisting for more than four weeks after the first suspected coronavirus episode that are not explained by something else.

Our analysis on the prevalence of ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 infection among people living in private households in the UK showed that in the four-week period ending 6 March 2021, the prevalence rates of self-reported long COVID were greatest in people aged 35 to 49 years (2.5%), and in those aged 50 to 69 years (2.4%).

All the adult age groups had statistically significantly higher rates of self-reported long COVID than those aged between 2 and 16 years.

The data also showed that the prevalence rate was statistically significantly higher in women (1.9%) than in men (1.5%).

Each factor is considered in isolation without adjusting for the effect of others, so it is not possible to infer cause-and-effect relationships from these results. Long COVID covers a broad range of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, and difficulty concentrating. There is no universally agreed definition.

As well as age and sex, the data has shown that those who live in the most deprived areas experience higher rates of self-reported long COVID (2.2%), compared with those in the least deprived areas (1.4%).

In terms of differences between employment sectors, health and social care workers had the highest rates of self-reported long COVID (3.6% and 3.1% respectively). This may be the result of more exposure to the coronavirus as well as greater awareness of long COVID.

People with self-reported, pre-existing health conditions that affected their day-to-day activities a lot experienced a prevalence rate of self-reported long COVID of 4.0% compared with 3.4% for people whose day-to-day activities were limited a little. They had statistically significantly higher prevalence rates of self-reported long COVID than those without limiting health conditions (2.2%). Those without any pre-existing health conditions experienced a lower rate still at 1.5%.

There was an overall estimated 1.1 million people in private UK households who reported experiencing long COVID (symptoms persisting more than four weeks after the first suspected coronavirus episode that are not explained by something else).

This was over the four-week period ending 6 March 2021; 932,000 of these people lived in England, 56,000 in Wales, 79,000 in Scotland, and 26,000 in Northern Ireland.

There were an estimated 674,000 (61.6%) people in the UK who reported having long COVID symptoms say their day-to-day activities were being adversely affected.

Of those, 196,000 (17.9%) reported their day-to-day activities were limited a lot, our data on the prevalence of ongoing symptoms has shown.

Number of households in temporary accommodation from 30 June 2018 to 31 December 2020, England

Notes:

1. Single households are defined as households without children including couples without children, as well as single adults.

2. Households in Temporary Accommodation are as reported at the end of each quarter. Q1 represents 31 March, Q2 30 June, Q3 30 September, Q4 31 December.

3. Data for Q4 2020 are currently provisional.

4. Total figures are presented rounded to the nearest 10 households.

Download the data

The number of households in England in temporary accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic has increased since the last quarter.

Newly-released data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)(PDF, 4.18MB) shows 95,370 in temporary accommodation at 31 December 2020, a 1% increase from 94,610 on 30 September 2020. It’s also an increase of 8% in the same period in 2019 from 88,310.

This increase is driven by single adult households, which was 28,570 at 31 December 2020, up 45% on the same date in 2019. The number of households with children was 59,670 (or 63%), down 5% on the same date in 2019. This compares with 62,560 or 71% on the same date in 2019.

On 30 June 2020, the number of households in temporary accommodation reached a peak of 98,260, a 14% increase on the same period in 2019, when there were 86,240 households in temporary accommodation.

As part of a drive (Everyone In) to get rough sleepers off the streets during the coronavirus pandemic, local authorities provided accommodation to people in their area who were rough sleeping, in shelters with shared sleeping areas or were at risk of rough sleeping.

The Everyone In response involved a significant change in the way local authority powers and duties were delivered towards single households (households without children), in the context of the pandemic.

The number of households in temporary accommodation in England had increased annually by an average of 5.1% across all quarters in 2019. This was exceeded by the year-on-year increase in June 2020.

Other aspects of support included mortgage payment holidays, a stay on possession proceedings and an extension of notice periods.

This may explain why the number of households with children in temporary accommodation has decreased, in that households who took advantage of these support mechanisms avoided the prospect of becoming homeless.

There were 10,510 households in bed and breakfast accommodation on 31 December 2020. This represents a 43% increase from 7,330 at the same period in 2019.

The figures show that 88% of households in bed and breakfast accommodation were single households (households without children). This equates to 9,230 and an increase of 270 from the previous quarter.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also experienced an increase in households in temporary accommodation.

In Wales, 2,324 households were placed in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2020, an increase of 4% on March 2019. The data refers to homelessness as defined by the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

National lockdown measures went into effect on 23 March 2020, which has affected the total of households in temporary accommodation in Wales at 31 March 2020. More recent information on homelessness is available, which is not comparable with statutory homelessness data.

In Northern Ireland, the number of placements in temporary accommodation more-than doubled, from 2,175 in July to December 2019, to 4,677 in July to December 2020.

In Scotland, at 30 September 2020, there was a 24% increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation compared with the same period in 2019.

Great Britain, February 2021

Notes:

1. Question: "In which ways is coronavirus affecting your life?".

2. Respondents asked to select all that apply.

3. Base population for percentage: disabled or non-disabled people.

4. February 2021 refers to the collection period 3 to 28 February. See Section 9: Data sources and quality in the latest publication for more information on the dates covered within this period.

5. Lower and upper 95% confidence levels form a confidence interval, which is a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and shows the range of uncertainty around the calculated estimate. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one estimate overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two estimates.

Download the data

More disabled people continue to be worried about the effect of the coronavirus than non-disabled people.

Data published in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (February 2021), showed the social impact of the coronavirus pandemic on disabled people in Great Britain between the 3 to 28 February 2021.

While a larger proportion of disabled people (78%) than non-disabled people (69%) said they were worried (very or somewhat) about the effect of the coronavirus on their lives, the proportions were smaller compared with September 2020.

In September 2020, 83% of disabled people said they were worried about the effect that the coronavirus was having on their lives, compared with 71% of non-disabled people.

There was also a difference in the way in which the coronavirus impacted on disabled and non-disabled people.

For disabled people in February 2021, the impact of the virus on their well-being (65%) and lack of freedom and independence (62%) were most often mentioned as ways their lives were affected. For non-disabled people, lack of freedom and independence (68%) was the area of life most affected.

Disabled people more often indicated coronavirus had affected their life than non-disabled people in ways such as their health (35% for disabled people, compared with 12% for non-disabled people), access to healthcare for non-coronavirus related issues (40% compared with 19%), well-being (65% compared with 50%) and access to groceries, medication and essentials (27% compared with 12%).

Non-disabled people more often said in February 2021 than in September 2020 that coronavirus affected their well-being (50% compared with 42%), life events (45% compared with 39%), exercise routine (35% compared with 23%) and relationships (29% compared to 21%).

Separate data from the NISRA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Opinion Survey Phases 1 to 10 showed that in Northern Ireland, people with a limiting longstanding illness reported significantly lower rates of life satisfaction, feelings of worthwhile and happiness than people without a limiting longstanding illness. They also had higher rates of anxiety.

Although the data - which covers 21 April 2020 to 3 April 2021 - is not directly comparable with the rest of the UK, it is in line with trends across the UK documenting poorer well-being outcomes for disabled people.

Note:

The term "limiting longstanding illness" has been used as a proxy to produce data on individuals considered to be disabled according to the Disability Discrimination Act. The act considers a person disabled if they have a longstanding physical or mental condition or disability that has lasted or is likely to last at least 12 months, and if this condition or disability has a substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Adults in Great Britain, December 2020 to April 2021

Notes:

1. Questions: "Have you received a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19)?", "Have you been offered the vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19)?" and "If a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19) was offered to you, how likely or unlikely would you be to have the vaccine?".

2. Base: all adults.

3. Questions asked about attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination have changed over the survey periods shown so interpretation of this time series should be made with caution. For more information please see the datasets associated with the latest bulletin.

4. Response categories of "Adults who have been offered and declined the vaccine or would be very or fairly unlikely to have the vaccine if offered", "Neither", "Don’t know" and "Prefer not to say" are not shown on this chart.

5. For the period 10 to 14 February, the 99% indicated on the chart for those aged 70 years and above represent a proportion of greater than 99% but less than 100%.

Download the data

The proportion of younger people who report a positive sentiment towards the coronavirus vaccine has increased since the start of the vaccination programme on 8 December 2020.

88% of people aged 16 to 29 years reported positive vaccine sentiment, an increase from 63% in early December (10 to 13 December 2020) - when the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey first started asking people questions surrounding the coronavirus vaccines.

There has also been an increase in the proportion of people aged 30 to 49 years who reported positive vaccine sentiment since December 2020, from 74% to 92%.

Positive sentiment towards coronavirus vaccines increase with age, when comparing older age groups with younger ages, as recent data shows, but differences between age groups have narrowed since the start of the vaccination programme on 8 December 2020.

Positive vaccine sentiment refers to adults who have received the vaccine, or who have been offered the vaccine and are waiting to be vaccinated or report being very or fairly likely to have the vaccine if offered. Among adults overall in Great Britain, 94% reported this in the latest data (21 to 25 April 2021).

The estimates presented here are from a sample of adults in Great Britain and does not include adults living in care homes or other establishments. The latest official administrative data on the number of adults in the UK and its constituent countries who have received a COVID-19 vaccination is available.

Data on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations for Northern Ireland are also published in the NISRA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Opinion Survey Phases 1 to 10.