27 PER cent of people in the UK feel financially worse off than when the pandemic began, with two in three saying it has damaged their mental health, new research suggests.

The research, commissioned by Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) through Opinium, showed that among those whose mental health has been affected, 65 per cent said they were anxious due to fragile finances.

Sue Buckle, Vulnerable Customer Lead at YBS, said: “We would encourage anyone who is feeling overwhelmed about their money situation to speak out. Once we know more about a customer’s situation, we can take steps together to address their finances and where necessary, put them in touch with organisations who can provide financial and mental health support.”