The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has published a new and improved online form to make it easier for people to share their experiences with the Inquiry.
Every Story Matters provides an opportunity for everyone in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to tell the UK Covid-19 Inquiry about their experiences of the pandemic.
It will support the Inquiry’s investigations and help the Chair of the Inquiry make recommendations for the future, by providing evidence about the human impact of the pandemic on the UK population.
Every story shared with us will be anonymised and analysed before being turned into themed reports. These reports will be submitted to each relevant investigation (the Inquiry’s ‘modules’) as evidence. They will be used to identify trends and themes, as well as particular experiences, which will contribute to the Inquiry’s investigations and findings.
We would like as many people as possible to take part in Every Story Matters, joining nearly 6,000 people who have already contributed. For those who cannot use the online form to share their story there will be a range of alternatives made available – including paper versions and a telephone line. Members of the Inquiry team will also be travelling across the UK so that individuals can share their experiences in person at community events.
The new form has been designed to be as short and simple as possible, following feedback from people across the UK:
- There are free text boxes that enable people to tell us their story in their own words.
- Although we ask people not to share personal details such as names and addresses, it is helpful for people to complete the survey section which asks for demographic and other information such as their age range, gender and postcode. With more information we can better identify trends and regional differences.
- Participants can save the form and continue later if they want to take a break or reflect.
- There will be a “Check your answers” page which allows easy amendments before submission.
- We have revised and expanded the categories for experience so they are clearer and include new topics such as pregnancy.
- A new “Are you ok?” feature will appear after 10 minutes of inactivity which will include a link to support organisations in case anyone feels they would like to speak with an expert.
Hearing from the widest possible range of people up and down the country, including people whose voices were not heard during the pandemic, is a huge and important task.
Every story is unique and will be analysed and fed into our investigations, helping the Inquiry to understand the common threads and the differences across the UK.
Every Story Matters will remain open throughout the duration of the Inquiry so you can share your experience when you are ready. Your experience counts no matter when you tell us. A final report will be submitted into evidence to make sure every voice is heard.