The cost-of-living crisis is affecting us all and our mental health.
Financial stress increases people's risk of poor mental health. Almost one third of adults (31%) felt anxious in the last month due to their financial situation, according to our recent survey (November 2023).
Find out more about what you can do to protect your mental, emotional and physical health during the cost-of-living crisis and how you can help support others.
Cost-of-living crisis is still causing widespread mental distress, new data shows.
Almost one third of adults (31%) in the UK felt anxious in the last month due to their financial situation. That’s what our recent poll in November 2023 has told us. It also tells us that more than one quarter (27%) felt stressed and almost one in ten (9%) felt hopeless.
This shows that things haven’t improved since our last report in November 2022. We’ve been living with the cost-of-living crisis for more than a year, and people continue to struggle with essential living costs and the mental health impact of money worries. This is particularly worrying as we know that if people feel anxious or stressed over a long period of time, it’s more likely they will develop more severe mental health problems.
We need our government to take more action to lessen the financial pressure people are experiencing, to prevent them from developing poor mental health. We also need government to make sure their decisions benefit people’s mental health, especially those most at risk of financial strain.
Three ways to look after your mental health during the cost-of-living crisis
Worrying about bills and the cost of food, on top of our usual daily stresses, can make it hard to find the time to look after yourself. But even when there's so much going on, it’s important to find time to protect your well-being and mental health.
Read more
OPEN perspectives on the cost-of-living crisis
In these videos, members of Our Personal Experience Network (OPEN) share their perspectives on the cost-of-living crisis and messages of support for others experiencing financial and mental health struggles.
Watch the videos
Getting support
If you’re having a hard time with things and it seems like there’s nothing anyone can do to help, there are ways that the government or organisations can help and guide you through these difficult times.
Find out how you can get support
Mental health and the cost-of-living crisis report: another pandemic in the making?
It's important to keep doing the things that are good for our mental health
Our research has shown that during the cost-of-living crisis people are doing less of the things that are good for our mental health.
18%
not seeing family or friends.
24%
of adults in the UK have poorer quality sleep.
11%
of adults in the UK exercise less often.
These statistics are from our November 2023 survey.
Keeping moving, getting a good night's sleep and protecting our relationships are all important to us staying mental healthy. Check out these ways to help yourself.
How to sleep better
This guide provides you with tips on how to sleep better, as good sleep doesn’t just mean lots of sleep but the right kind of sleep.
Read our guide
Nurturing our relationships during challenging times
During difficult times, it’s worth considering additional ways to protect our relationships and try to cope a bit better with some of the relationship problems life's challenges can create.
Learn more about maintaining good relationships
How to look after your mental health using exercise
This guide provides you with tips on how to look after your mental health using exercise.
Read our guide
Related content
- Tips to look after your mental health during scary world events
- Talking to children about scary world events
- Coping with scary world events if you already have mental health problems
- Looking after your mental health: a guide for young people
- An open letter to the Prime Minister about the cost-of-living crisis
- Finance, housing and unemployment worries
- Blog: The cost of living and mental health
Share your experience of the cost-of-living crisis
Most of us are finding it hard to cope with the cost-of-living emergency. We’d like to know how you are coping (or not) and your day-to-day experiences. You might also have some tips and advice that you’d like to share with others.