If you experience another mental health problem, it is common to also experience depression.

Depressive and anxiety disorders are increasing rapidly, and the COVID-19 pandemic is largely responsible. It induced a considerable degree of fear, worry and concern in the population at large.

The fear of relatives dying, impacted on children and adults alike, rich, and poor alike.

Depression can occur for a variety of reasons, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries. We have to add to this list the cost-of-living crisis. It is indeed a crisis!

There is arguably no disputing that the cost-of-living crisis has negatively impacted the mental health of a large proportion of the nation.

After months of on and off lockdowns and pandemic stress we now must face the cost-of-living crisis making it even harder on an already struggling populous.

There is a huge lack of empathetic understanding of how the economic hardships impact on people's mental wellbeing.

The link between mental health and poverty is one of the best researched areas and strongest correlations.

This additional stress can increase the risk of physical health issues such as heart disease or even cancer.

The UK Independence Party openly calls upon the government to do more to tackle this looming crisis and to start taking mental health problems caused by the cost- of- living crisis, very seriously, before the situation is completely out of control and we are beyond the point of no return!

Jordan Gaskell

UK Independence Party Spokesman for Wellbeing & Mental Health