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In the UK the cost-of-living crisis runs deep in every community and is having a significant impact on mental health.
High levels of inflation affect everyone as the price of necessities including food and energy increase. However, the impact is not felt equally. We know those already experiencing inequality, poverty and hardship are being hardest hit. And poverty is the single biggest driver of poor mental health in children. We also know that people living in the most deprived 10% of areas in the UK are more than twice as likely to die from suicide than those living in the wealthiest 10% of areas. In 2022 the Trussell Trust who provide emergency support to people in crisis issued 1.3 million food parcels between April and September. 94% of people accessing emergency food parcels are experiencing destitution. That means they are well below the poverty line and cannot afford the essentials to eat, stay warm and dry, and keep clean. This should worry us all. It is a shameful and unnecessary situation in the UK. As leaders of mental health organisations there is growing demand for our services. We will, of course, continue to do our absolute best to provide the necessary support. But we want to be crystal clear: the first intervention to reduce mental ill health and prevent suicide is to ensure every household has the means to be safe and warm with enough to eat. We urge the Prime Minister to act with speed and compassion to tackle the root causes of destitution and in doing so prevent suicide and an inevitable rise in mental ill health. Julie Bentley, Samaritans Simon Blake OBE, Mental Health First Aid England Sophie Corlett, Mind Brian Dow, Mental Health UK Sean Duggan OBE, Mental Health Network, NHS Confederation Akiko Hart, National Survivor User Network Victoria Hornby OBE, Mental Health Innovations Dr Sarah Hughes, Centre for Mental Health Poppy Jaman OBE, MindForward Alliance Dr Adrian James, Royal College of Psychiatrists Tom Madders, Young Minds Chris Martin, The Mix Paula Ojok, Helplines Partnership Kathy Roberts, Association of Mental Health Providers Catherine Roche, Place2Be Mark Rowland, Mental Health Foundation Michael Samuel MBE, Anna Freud Centre Rosie Tressler OBE, Student Minds Mark Winstanley, Rethink Mental Illness
1 Comment
28/2/2023 07:22:01 am
It is heartening to see that Student Minds has joined 19 other charities in an open letter to the Prime Minister, highlighting the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on mental health in the UK. It is indeed alarming to note that poverty is the single biggest driver of poor mental health in children, and those living in deprived areas are more likely to die from suicide than those in wealthier areas. The fact that 1.3 million food parcels were issued between April and September 2022 alone should be a wake-up call to policymakers to address the root causes of destitution in the country. The mental health organizations are right in urging the Prime Minister to act with speed and compassion to tackle this issue. It is only by ensuring that every household has access to basic necessities that we can prevent a rise in mental ill health and suicide rates. It is high time that the government takes concrete steps to address this shameful situation in the UK.
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