The UK Covid-19 Inquiry

Long Covid UK (formerly Long Covid Support) has acted as a core participant in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, the independent public inquiry examining how the UK prepared for and responded to the pandemic up to June 2022.

We were part of the Long Covid Groups, alongside Long Covid SOS, Long Covid Physio and Long Covid Kids. Together, we worked to ensure that Long Covid is heard throughout the Inquiry, and we continue to collaborate as reports and findings are released to represent the needs of our community.

The Long Covid Groups are represented by Jane Ryan and the team at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, with Sarah Hannett KC of Matrix Chambers and Shanthi Sivakumaran of Doughty Street Chambers.

Two women wearing face masks standing outside a building with a crowd in the background, some filming with cameras.

Why it matters

Since the start of the pandemic, people with Long Covid have faced disbelief, delays in diagnosis, and a lack of treatment and support. Despite repeated calls from patient groups, Long Covid was not given the attention it deserved by those making decisions at the highest levels of government.

The Inquiry has been a chance to understand why that happened. By being in the room when evidence is heard and decisions are scrutinised, we can help make sure that what happened to people with Long Covid is part of the public record and part of the lessons learned.

How the Inquiry works

The Inquiry is divided into ten modules, each investigating a different aspect of the pandemic, from government decision-making and healthcare to vaccines, the care sector, children and the economic response.

Organisations and individuals can apply for core participant status in each module. This is the strongest form of participation available and gives us a formal role in the Inquiry process. In practice, this means:

  • Core participants are given disclosure of evidence ahead of public hearings, so we can prepare and respond.

  • At the start of each module's hearings, we can set out the key issues we want the Inquiry to investigate. After all the evidence has been heard, we can make a closing statement setting out the findings and recommendations we are asking the Inquiry to make.

  • We provide witness statements drawing on the experiences of our members and community, so that the lived reality of Long Covid is part of the formal record.

  • Individuals from our community appear before the Inquiry to answer questions and share their experiences directly.

  • When ministers, officials and experts give evidence, our barristers can suggest lines of questioning to make sure the right issues are explored.

Our involvement

The Long Covid Groups have held core participant status in three modules:

  • Module 2: Core UK decision-making and political governance

  • Module 3: Impact of the pandemic on healthcare systems

  • Module 9: Economic response to the pandemic

Long Covid Kids also secured core participant status in Module 8, which examined the impact of the pandemic on children and young people.

Beyond the formal hearings, the Long Covid Groups have also written to the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care through their legal team, pressing for Long Covid to be properly considered across all areas of the Inquiry's work.

Our evidence

All of our statements, witness evidence, and submissions are publicly available on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry website. A full list is set out below.

    • Long Covid Groups joint opening statement (October 2023)

    • Witness statement of Natalie Rogers on behalf of Long Covid Support (25 September 2023)

    • Joint witness statement of Sammie McFarland, Dr Mark Faghy, Ondine Sherwood and Natalie Rogers on behalf of the Long Covid Groups (28 November 2023)

    • Long Covid Groups closing statement

    • Supplemental closing submissions (6 June 2024)

    • Long Covid Groups opening statement (September 2024)

    • Witness statement of Natalie Rogers, Member of Long Covid Groups (17 June 2024)

    • Oral evidence given by Natalie Rogers on behalf of the Long Covid Groups

    • Long Covid Groups closing statement (November 2024)

    • Opening submissions from Long Covid SOS and Long Covid Support (10 November 2025)

    • Joint witness statement of Mike Ormerod and Natalie Rogers on behalf of Long Covid Support (6 October 2025)

    • Oral evidence given by Mike Ormerod on behalf of the Long Covid Groups (26 November 2025)