Samaritans is calling on the Government to increase investment in vital suicide prevention and mental health support, as new analysis reveals the number of people accessing the charity’s support services over financial concerns has risen for a third year in a row.
Latest data from the suicide prevention charity reveals the toll that the cost-of-living crisis is taking on the nation’s mental health. While people call Samaritans for a range reasons, finance stands alone as the only concern to see a sustained year-on-year increase.
In 2024, nearly 160,000 callers for emotional support were concerned about finance or unemployment, averaging around 430 calls per day.
Julie Bentley, Chief Executive of Samaritans, said: “Suicide rates are at their highest in over 20 years and there is a clear link between financial insecurity and suicide risk. We know that people among the most deprived 10 percent of society are more than twice as likely to die from suicide than the least deprived, so we need immediate action to tackle this as the cost-of-living crisis shows no sign of easing. That starts with ensuring people seeking financial support also receive mental health support and vice versa.”
Samaritans believe that one example of this increased support is the expansion of the Breathing Space mental health scheme, introduced in England and Wales in 2021, which offers individuals struggling with debt a period of respite. Samaritans is calling on the government to extend the scheme to include anyone in contact with NHS mental health services who is also experiencing problem debt, to give people the time they need to regain control, break the cycle of debt and mental ill-health, and ultimately reduce the risk of suicide.
Julie Bentley, Chief Executive of Samaritans, continued: “Samaritans will continue to be on the front line, supporting individuals experiencing poor mental health as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, but without a proper commitment from the Government to do more to support the mental health of those suffering from financial hardship, government risks failing some of those people most at risk of suicide.”
