The economic impacts of Long COVID in the UK: a qualitative pilot study

Report

Recent research has highlighted the significant economic impacts of Long Covid, with over half those affected working reduced hours, an average cost (in terms of work lost) of over £10,000 per person and many needing informal care support from friends and family. This project, a collaboration between the School of Geography and the Environment (SoGE) and the charity Long Covid Support (LCS), aimed to provide insights into the stories behind these numbers, through 10 in-depth interviews with people with Long COVID, and a further two interviews with advocacy organisations involved in supporting them. Interviews were analysed and inductively coded to draw out key themes and concerns. The report below summarises the background to the project, the methods used and the key project findings, which include peoples’ experiences of work and the benefits system after contracting Long COVID, as well as the increased costs and financial strains they faced. 

Authors: Crothers, T; Zabicka, A; Cousins, O; Jokela-Pansini, M; Greenhough, B

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: University of Oxford
• Place of publication: Oxford, UK
• Publication date: 2026-07-01
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-5rdwjwdq0
• Commissioning body: School of Geography and the Environment
• Language: English
• Keywords: Long Covid; economic impact; qualitative research