Alarmed mental health and suicide prevention charities are being inundated with worried Brits struggling due to the cost of living crisis - and warn there has been "no recognition" government.
They warn that services are already "at breaking point" and said the UK's mental health system could be put "on the brink of collapse" by the unfolding financial crisis.
Last month alone The Samaritans received 12,000 calls relating to finance or unemployment concerns, while Mind's infoline has seen a 30% rise in people worried about money compared to a year ago.
Worry about money is now the top concern among young people for the first time ever, charity YoungMinds has found.
Today 17 leading charities have written to Boris Johnson, warning that economic downturns have triggered a rise in suicides in the past - saying the government must "stop being silent".
They call on the PM and his successor to urgently get a handle on the crisis to protect the nation's mental health and save lives.
They write: "We know from previous experience that a squeeze on living standards, unmanageable debt and economic recessions cause a rise in mental health problems, demand for services and, sadly, are connected to a rise in suicides.
"We have the opportunity to learn from the past and address how to support people’s wellbeing to avoid repeating history.
The letter says the government has failed to recognise the impact spiralling costs are having on the nation's mental health, and the prospect that this could last for years.
A mental health plan needs to be put in place immediately, Mr Johnson has been told, with services already pushed to "breaking point" by the pandemic.
It is estimated that more than 1.5 people are on a waiting list for vital support, and the charities say the cost of living crisis "could put our entire mental health system on the brink of collapse, leaving people that are already struggling without the support they need".
They say a national suicide prevention strategy needs to be introduced, stating: "We need the Government to stop being silent and show us clear and decisive leadership on this emerging national emergency that affects us all."
The letter in full
A letter to the current and future Prime Minister,
There has been significant attention this month on the current cost of living crisis and the likelihood of a recession, which could last for years. But so far, there has been no recognition of the risk this poses to the nation’s mental health.
We are already beginning to see the impact. In July alone Samaritans received 12,000 emotional support contacts mentioning finance or unemployment concerns and Mind’s Infoline has seen a 30% rise compared to last year in calls related to finances. YoungMinds also tracks young people's experiences of mental health and, for the first time, 'worries about money' was found to be the top concern and negative influence on their mental health.
We know from previous experience that a squeeze on living standards, unmanageable debt and economic recessions cause a rise in mental health problems, demand for services and, sadly, are connected to a rise in suicides. We have the opportunity to learn from the past and address how to support people’s wellbeing to avoid repeating history.
The nation’s mental health services were already stretched, and the pandemic has pushed them to breaking point. With over 1.5 million people currently on a waiting list, the cost of living crisis could put our entire mental health system on the brink of collapse, leaving people that are already struggling without the support they need.
Interventions must be put in place now, both for the immediate and the long-term future. Recommitting to implementing a cross-Government mental health plan and national suicide prevention strategy that demonstrates how to tackle inequalities and support marginalised communities will show us how seriously Government is taking this. Adequately supporting those on the lowest incomes, who are most at risk of experiencing mental health problems and are at higher suicide risk, is imperative right now.
This is a societal issue which will only be addressed if the Government, private and voluntary sectors work closely together. The voluntary sector is ready to respond but we cannot do it alone. We need the Government to stop being silent and show us clear and decisive leadership on this emerging national emergency that affects us all.
From,
Julie Bentley, CEO, Samaritans
Paul Farmer, CEO, Mind
Emma Thomas, CEO, YoungMinds
Sarah Hughes, CEO, Centre for Mental Health
Poppy Jaman, CEO, City Mental Health Alliance
Mark Rowland, CEO, Mental Health Foundation
Michael Samuel, Chair, Anna Freud Centre
Dr Adrian James, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Kathy Roberts, CEO, Association of Mental Health Providers
Mark Winstanley, CEO, Rethink Mental Illness
Rosie Tressler, CEO, Student Minds
Simon Blake, CEO, Mental Health First Aid England
Dr Jacqui Dyer MBE, Director, Black Thrive Global
Akiko Hart, CEO, NSUN (National Survivor User Network)
Paula Ojok, CEO, Helplines Partnership
Victoria Hornby, CEO, Mental Health Innovations
Sean Duggan OBE, CEO, The NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network
The Samaritans is available 24/7 if you need to talk. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or head to the website to find your nearest branch. You matter.
