MORE than three-quarters of adults in debt during the pandemic say that their mental health has suffered, a charity has revealed.

New polling for Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) by YouGov found that 77% of adults in Scotland who found themselves in debt during the Covid 19 pandemic said the issue had affected their mental health.

Around 30% of respondents said that it affected them a great deal and 47% said it impacted them a fair amount.

Glasgow Times:

And previous work by CAS suggested around 600,000 people - the population of Glasgow - encountered new debt problems throughout the period, whether they were getting into new debt problems or seeing existing debts escalate.

The charity is expecting households to experience more pressure in the coming months with rising bills and prices in the shops and is running the "Debt Happens" campaign to ensure people have access to the support they need.

CAS Financial Health spokesperson Sarah-Jayne Dunn, said: “The vicious link between financial pressures and mental wellbeing is something we should all understand.

“Money worries and mental health issues often go hand in hand with emotional stress often being the cause and consequence of financial stress.

“It may be that you need specialist advice which our CAB network can help through our local CABs as well as connecting you with other local support organisations, or you may just want to go at your own pace using our online Money Map and public advice site which can help by suggesting ways to boost your income, reduce your outgoings and make the most out of your money.

“We want people to understand that they aren’t alone in dealing with their debt or the impact on their mental wellbeing that comes with it. Hundreds of thousands of people are not only facing the stigma of debt but the added stigma of poor mental health. We want you to know that there is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Help is always available.”

You can visit the Citizens Advice Scotland website for more information here.