Health and wellbeing director at automotive charity Ben, Rachel Clift, explains the toll the cost of living crisis could be taking on the mental health of technicians.
Aglobal pandemic, Brexit uncertainty and now a national cost of living crisis. It’s safe to say that the last few years have been anything but calm and consistent for anyone trying to make a living in the UK. The automotive community in particular is finding this period of unrest more troubling than ever before.
We’ve seen a big increase in people from the automotive industry reaching out to Ben for help since the beginning of 2022 – looking for support in everything from our life coaching and mental health assessments through to more specific financial information and advice. We knew that the cost of living crisis was going to cause concern, but we’ve experienced an unprecedented 189% increase in demand for finance related counselling and financial guidance, showing that people really are worried about how to make ends meet.
With interest rates rising, fuel costs soaring and the impact of global unrest starting to affect our bank balances, for a huge number of people it is becoming more difficult to make ends meet each month.
The numbers
In our most recent health and wellbeing survey, we found that 1 in 5 people in the automotive community are currently struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. We are starting to see a significant increase in people reaching out for support, administering 60 per cent more financial assistance to industry connected families to see them through this period of uncertainty. But people are not just seeking. help in managing their finances but also reaching out for support in dealing with the impact that financial insecurity has had on their mental health, with an additional 70% of funds being spent on the delivery of counselling, talking and specialist therapies compared to the same time last year.
Each year, Ben supports many people who are struggling to make ends meet for all different kinds of reasons. In fact, worrying about money is one of the biggest reasons why people ask Ben for help. There are many ways that Ben can support people with their money worries – whether that’s through providing information, advice and guidance related to finances or debt, offering financial assistance, or providing emotional support when struggling with money impacts on someone’s mental health and wellbeing.
Those struggling with money worries can also sign up to SilverCloud – Ben’s free digital platform with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programmes, which helps to improve health and wellbeing. Try the ‘Space from Money Worries’ programme and just enter access code ‘ben’ to get started.
Ben has also put together a dedicated page on its website, giving ten top tips on how to reduce your cost of living – from weekly meal planning to reducing water wastage, shopping around for the cheapest fuel stations to reducing energy bills. Even if you’re feeling financially OK at the moment, it pays to start planning ahead for the future.
While we can’t alter the rising cost of living, there are many ways that Ben can make life easier for those struggling with financial troubles. Whether that’s making sure you know which benefits you may be entitled to, or helping you to manage your money in the short or longer term – we’re here to help.
Many people suffer in silence because financial insecurity carry a lot of feelings of shame and low self-esteem, and we find that people wait until a struggle becomes a crisis before reaching out to Ben for help.
Reaching out
Ben is here for everyone who works or has worked in the automotive community regardless of their circumstances. Our whole purpose is to help our automotive family to overcome life’s challenges – without judgment or prejudice. If you are worried about money, if you are in need of financial assistance or simply want reassurance that you’re prepared and in a good place financially, ready to weather the cost-of-living storm, please do get in touch. Remember if you or someone you know is struggling with this, or anything else – you can chat with us online, or call our free and confidential helpline on 0801 311 333 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm).
