Watch: Cost of living crisis leading to a big increase in mental health problems

The UK’s battle to navigate the current cost-of-living crisis is having a knock-on effect on our mental health to a staggering degree with 8 in 10 Brits admitting the current economic crisis is impacting their mental wellbeing, with that figure rising to 94% for those with an existing mental health problem, according to new research from Mind, Rethink Mental Illness and Co-op.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze people in the New Year, conversations about our mental health are drying up with 1 in 3 UK adults with an existing mental health problem admitting to having fewer conversations. Indeed, almost a fifth (18%) of us also say the current financial situation has resulted in reducing how often we make time to have a conversation about our mental health.

Time To Talk Day 2023 is the nation’s biggest conversation about mental health with the aim to inspire millions of conversations across the country and encourage more people to talk about their mental health, whether that be in schools, homes, workplaces or online. It is run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness in England, See Me with SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) in Scotland, Inspire and Change Your Mind in Northern Ireland and Time to Change Wales. It is being delivered in partnership with Co-op.