Half of Britons stressed over housing costs

ANXIETY about the cost of renting or buying a home is causing an epidemic of stress and depression in Britain, according to housing campaigners.

More than a quarter of people questioned in a major survey commissioned by Shelter and Shelter Scotland said they had cut down the amount they spent on food in order to meet rent or mortgage payments.

Almost half said worrying about housing cost was causing stress and depression, which was having an effect on their family life. The charity said the findings show that providing new social housing should be a priority for the Scottish Government. And it said the indications are that the problem is getting worse.

Gordon MacRae, head of communications and policy at Shelter, said: "It's shocking that in the space of three years the number of people in Britain who say the constant worry of meeting housing costs is causing stress and depression in their family has surged by 63 per cent to 18 million - bringing this issue firmly into the mainstream.

"These figures show that it is not only the most vulnerable and least well-off affected by this issue, it is now a mainstream daily worry for millions of hard-working families across Britain."

Mr MacRae added: "It's hardly surprising that people's health is suffering when they face a daily choice between cutting down on essentials like food or having a place to live.

"The impact this stress could have on other family members and long-term health is a real cause for concern.

"To maintain the housing safety-net which helps so many people keep a roof over their heads, the SNP government must now deliver on its manifesto pledge to build 6,000 socially rented houses a year."

Whereas in 2009 four out of ten Britons said they were managing to keep up with payments for their home without any difficulty, the latest research suggest less than one in three are now comfortably able to pay for their homes.

The survey of 5,438 adults conducted by YouGov asked respondents whether they strongly agree, agree, neither, disagree or strongly disagree with the following statement: "Housing costs cause stress and depression in my family."

According to the research 37 per cent of people said they agreed with the statement - which when applied to the UK population as a whole suggests 18 million people in the UK are suffering from stress related to housing issues.

Only 28 per cent said they had no problem meeting their housing costs, while 26 per cent said the high cost of paying for a home had led them to economise on food spending. Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said the findings had serious implications: "This should be of profound concern to us all.

"At Sane, we are certainly hearing more from people deeply worried about their financial situation: where the next meal is coming from, job security, cuts in benefits and whether they can keep a roof over their head. Many are getting in touch with us for the first time.

"It is a toxic combination, especially for those who are already struggling with darker thoughts and other problems."