‘Stress crisis’ in UK as 5m struggle with financial, health and housing insecurity

Goods at a food bank. Forty-one per cent of people in work were financially insecure, the study found. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/PA

More than 5 million UK adults are experiencing a triple whammy of financial, health and housing insecurity as British households hit levels of “multi-stress” not seen since the global economic crash well over a decade ago, research shows.

One in 10 working-age adults are juggling low income and debt, insecure tenancies and high rents, and problems accessing NHS care. They are at least twice as likely as the rest of the population to report mental stress, sleeplessness and isolation.