As the cost-of-living crisis and rising energy bills build extreme pressure on those struggling financially, warnings have been issued regarding greater suicide risk. Moreover, the price rise threatens to plunge 9 million households into fuel poverty, with a whopping 80 per cent increase in gas and electricity costs. The effect of rising bills can be seen in all spheres of public life, be it schools, pubs, corner stores and even festivals.
For many schools, reducing the staff and course plan is the only way to afford energy bills. Similarly, thousands of pubs are under the threat of shutting off given the fact that they will need to raise the price of a pint to £15 or £20 to cover their soaring energy bills, which isn’t viable. Craft brewer BrewDog’s went ahead to announce that it will close six pubs over the rocketing energy bills. Corner shops face the same threat.
The stress and fear of the bills mounting in the future can be paralysing for many individuals and can impact their mental health negatively. NHS leaders have warned that fuel poverty can lead to a public health emergency, causing and worsening physical and mental illness across the whole population and further straining the already stretched health and care services.
Mubeen Bhutta, Head of Policy, Public Affairs & Campaigns at Samaritans, said, “The rising cost of food, energy and fuel is making it hard for millions to make ends meet. Whilst we know that suicide is complex and that there is rarely a single reason that someone takes their own life, we do know that financial insecurity can increase the risk of someone dying by suicide.”
When it comes to the new Government’s role in suicide prevention amidst the crisis, Mubeen highlights the need to “recognise the inequality that exists in different communities”.
“People from different ethnic groups do not always receive the same level of support from mental health services when they need it and this simply isn’t good enough given the impact that the Cost-of-Living crisis, following so quickly on the heels of the pandemic, may have on millions of lives”, he said.
According to Professor Kiran Patel, Chair of trustees at the South Asian Health Foundation, “It is not surprising that there is a health consequence to the situation we find ourselves in. Anxiety will inevitably lead to deteriorating mental health and for some people, this may even lead to illness and suicidal thoughts.” In his opinion, while “the government is ultimately responsible for trying to ease the pressures we face from the cost-of-living crisis”, individuals and communities must make sure that firstly, we are aware of those who might be struggling and help in any way we can. “We might even start to socialize more and encourage people to spend more time with each other, engaging in community activities in community centres which are heated and cater for the vulnerable”, he said.
Talking about the need to take immediate action given the rising risk of suicides due to financial pressure, Maytree, a non-profit organisation, told us: “Maytree’s vision is that everyone in suicidal crisis has someone to talk to and somewhere safe to be. We know that having a choice about support is fundamental in engaging successfully and hence preventing suicide. The connection between economic downturn and suicide is well documented in academic research as well as anecdotal evidence. As we witness the current cost-of-living crisis and the return of inflation, we are planning for an increase in demand for our service. Mental health and suicide are impacted by both social and economic determinants including unemployment, food and energy poverty, debt, housing insecurity and domestic violence, escalating underlying issues. These may be clustered in geographies and communities of greater economic deprivation, underpinning our decision to open a second house in Greater Manchester, significantly increasing our capacity and making our service more accessible. Collectively, we can all help prevent lives being lost by becoming comfortable about discussing suicide, removing the stigma and listening without judgement, with kindness and compassion. To help directly, why not consider becoming one of our trained volunteers?”
