Half of Yorkshire's youth struggling with mental health amid cost of living crisis

Some 49 per cent of 16-25 year olds surveyed by UK Youth said their mental health has been negatively impacted by the cost of living crisis.

And seven in ten young people (70 per cent) are concerned the crisis will restrict their ability to get a secure job now and in the future – with just five per cent of young people having no concerns at all.

Almost half of young people (43 per cent) say the cost of living crisis is having an impact on their ability to heat their homes

And over a third (38 per cent) say they are more lonely as they reduce their social life to save money.

The leader of a York based theatre company, which specialises in working with disabled young adults and those who identify as LGBT+, has shared his experience of how the crisis is impacting.

Matthew Harper Hardcastle, CEO and artistic director, Next Door But One, said: “The cost of living crisis has affected the young people we work with in so many ways.

"Parents are struggling to put food on the table, let alone cover the cost of travel to the activities we run. Our activities are free but we are stepping up support to help with things like paying for transport, and working to connect young people and their parents and carers to other services which will scaffold them through this tough time.

“This is happening at a time when our general running costs are going up, because everything just costs more.”

UK Youth is now urging the government to increase support for youth workers and groups to aid with those affected by the crisis.

Ndidi Okezie, chief executive of UK Youth, said: “These figures must be a wake-up call for our country – our young people are struggling in the face of the cost of living crisis and they need help.

"Parents and carers are rightly concerned and are having to make difficult personal sacrifices to survive.

"Youth organisations, who provide essential support to young people, are also on their knees. The situation cannot be allowed to continue as it is.”

It comes as households with children and pets are feeling particularly tightly squeezed by rising living costs, research suggests.

On average, people were paying £441 a month extra on household bills in the 12 months to February, according to a survey commissioned by mutual insurance and pensions provider, Royal London.

Those with children and pets have seen their total monthly bills soaring by £497 a month typically, the findings indicate.

Mortgage payments, energy bills and groceries were among the rising costs that people were grappling with.

Some 45 per cent of people were concerned about the cost of pets, while 32 per cent were concerned about childcare fees.

The research was released by Royal London ahead of new Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation figures being published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday.

The most recent figures show that CPI inflation rose by 10.4% in the 12 months to February 2023, accelerating from 10.1% in January.