WELFARE benefits officers in the North-East are warning of a “shocking” rise in people having suicidal thoughts amid a steep rise in calls for financial help.

The stark warning – during Mental Health Awareness Week – is being sounded by North Star Housing, which supports some of the region’s most vulnerable people through a range of services.

North Star has experienced a 56 per cent increase in referrals to its welfare benefits team over the past year, with the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by the cost-of-living crisis, creating “the perfect storm” for tenants.

Welfare benefits officers, Andrea Peacock and Natalie Bird, along with tenancy support officer Deborah Bolam, have a wealth of experience between them, and they all say the financial pressure on households is the worst they have known it, leading to a worrying increase in mental health problems.

Andrea, who worked for Age UK before joining North Star 11 years ago, said: “It’s really, really tough for people and it’s shocking how many people talk about having suicidal thoughts because they simply don’t know how to cope.

“The cost-of-living crisis, straight after the isolation during the pandemic, is the perfect storm when it comes to mental health.”

Deborah, who has worked in the field of welfare benefits for 25 years, added: “In all my years, I’ve never seen it as bad as this – and we’re seeing mental health problems rocket as a result.

“There’s definitely an increase in people feeling suicidal and there’s a particular problem with younger, single men because families are prioritised for support, and men don’t like reaching out and talking about their mental health.”

Natalie, who spent 13 years working for Citizens Advice before joining North Star two years ago, said: “Nine times out of ten, we are seeing people with a negative budget because they simply don’t have enough to pay the bills. It all creates additional stress, and something has to give.

“With mental health, people often don’t try to access help because they take the view that ‘there are people worse off than me’. They might think they’re OK but they’re not.”

From its surplus last year, North Star set aside £200,000 of funding to support customers who may be affected by the cost-of-living crisis. The aid includes debt support – in partnership with Citizens Advice – food and fuel vouchers, and a hardship fund for emergency help.

The welfare benefits team say the problem has been exacerbated by the withdrawal of the Universal Credit uplift of £20 per week that was in place during the pandemic. Instead, a cost-of-living payment of £900-a-year is paid in three instalments, making it harder to budget sustainably.

While carrying out welfare benefits checks, North Star’s frontline staff also provide a holistic service that includes making mental health referrals if they have concerns.

Adam Clark, Executive Director of Customers at North Star, said: “The detrimental impact of the pandemic and cost of living crisis on mental health is widely reported. Worryingly it impacts the whole household too, with child referrals for mental health care up 39 per cent in the last year.

“The expertise and empathy of our team is critical at a time like this and it ensures our tenants can access critical practical and emotional support. Access to statutory mental health support can be slow because of significant demand, so we’ve taken steps to set up partnerships to more effectively support our tenants where we can.”