New study names the UK’s most burnt-out regions this Stress Awareness Month comes to an end: New research has revealed the UK regions that are the most in-need of a break this Stress Awareness Month, finding Preston to be the area suffering the most.
Of the top ten regions, half were from the Northwest including cultural capitals Manchester and Liverpool, and only three from the South.
The study looked at 233 stress and anxiety-related search terms, calculating the monthly search averages per 100,000 residents in towns and cities across the UK, revealing which regions are facing the most pressure.
Following Preston, Blackburn was found to be the area with the second highest monthly searches.
New research has uncovered the areas of the UK that are needing to manage their stress, naming Preston as the number one area for struggling residents.
The study, conducted by expert CBD retailers CBD Oil King, assessed the number of monthly Google searches for 233 search terms related to stress and anxiety across cities and towns in the UK, assessed using Google Keyword Planner. The total monthly amount was then scaled against the population of each city to give a total number of searches per 100,000 residents.
The study revealed that Preston is the most stressed area of the UK, citing 2,006 monthly searches per 100,000 people in the city for search terms relating to stress. While the study does not reveal the cause of stress, many factors are apparent for the city.
Unemployment rates for the region sat at 4% as of last September. Although this rate has fallen compared to 2022 (by 1.3%), this is still above the national average (3.9% in 2023). Alongside this, a report also discovered that 28% of respondents reported they had high anxiety levels, with another study, the English deprivation index, finding Preston has consistently ranked in the 20% most deprived areas of the country since 2000.
Coming in second, Blackburn comes next with 1,979 searches per 100,000 residents – equivalent to 65 searches a day. Lancashire council found that the town has higher than the national average (12.7%) rates of depression in adults (16.2%) and unemployment is around 4.7% according to the latest Office for National Statistics data.
Liverpool was next on the list, coming in third with a rate of 1,968 searches per 100,000 people in the city. Historically, residents have faced a lot of hardship, and a recent report shows nearly a third (28.9%) of children are living in poverty, with the local authority ranked as the third most deprived region in England according to government data.
Ranking as fourth most stressed, Burnley comes next. The region sees a monthly average of 1,864 searches for stress and anxiety-related searches. According to the 2019 index of multiple deprivation, Burnley was ranked 11th out of 317 authorities in England, making it an area high in the need for support.
Scotland’s fifth-largest locality by population, East Kilbride ranks fifth. The region sees 1,752 searches per 100,000 people, around 58 searches a day related to stress. According to the latest data from the Scottish government, over a quarter (28.8%) of adults suffer from long-term limiting physical or mental health conditions in the region.
The most stressed UK cities, ranked:
The highest-ranking Southern region, Bristol comes in sixth place with a rate of 1,668 searches per 100,000 residents. According to the 2021 census, 32% of all households in Bristol included one person with a long-term physical or mental health condition that limited their day-to-day activities, which can affect stress levels.
One of the most populated cities in the UK ranks seventh as Manchester residents search for stress and anxiety-related terms at a rate of 1,665 per 100,000 residents. Although the city is home to many cultural interests, the city ranked 6th most deprived according to the deprivation index from 2019.
The first area in the Northwest of England, Newcastle comes in eighth with a rate of 1,576 searches per 100,000. According to the latest data, Newcastle had an unemployment rate of 5.2% and as per the most recent index, the city is the 53rd most deprived area in England.
The ninth most stressed region in the UK was Reading which saw a rate of 1,535 searches per 100,000 residents. One study conducted in 2017 found that 1 in 10 residents felt always or often lonely, potentially signalling why some turn to Google for finding support for stress.
Portsmouth rounds off the list ranking as tenth most stressed with a rate of 1,493 searches per 100,000. According to the city council, the area is the most densely populated area outside of London, with crime rates 48% higher than the UK average, and ranks 63rd out of 326 local authorities for most deprived regions.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Mansoor Siddique, Director of CBD Oil King, said: “Stress can be caused by a multitude of factors including work, unemployment, disability, mental health issues, crime rates, poverty and so on.
“It is shocking to note that the Mental Health Foundation’s most recent study found that 74% of Brits have felt an overwhelming amount of stress across the previous year, with a further third saying they had experienced suicidal thoughts because of it. We must do more to help those around us in such situations and we can also help ourselves by having healthy coping mechanisms ahead of time that we can put to use.
“Various factors, whether socioeconomic or genetic, influence individuals’ ability to cope with stress and anxiety and it is key people have support systems in place that can help them manage any worries they may be having. This is why it is imperative for local authorities, employers, and society as a whole to create places where free and open discussion on mental health takes place. Doing so will hopefully decrease the burden many feel weighed down by.”
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