Rising cost of living ‘taken a toll’ as quarter of Scots have poor mental heath

New figures have found an increasing number of Scottish adults are experiencing poor mental health.

New figures suggest nearly a quarter of Scottish adults are experiencing poor mental health. In a staggering increase on previous years, experts say this rise in mental health worries is due to rising living costs and pressure on public services “taking a toll”.

Over recent years, there has been more talk about mental health and how it can impact an individual’s health and wellbeing in comparison to those around them. However, these stark figures highlight problems in society are having a direct impact across the country.

Data from The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) shows in 2024, 1.1million Scottish adults were experiencing poor mental health, which sits at 24.6 per cent of people. This number is said to approximately fill Hampden Park 22 times.

In comparison to previous figures, this report is around 425,000 more than in 2009, which recorded 16.6 per cent of Scots were suffering – which is about 720,000 people.

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The MHF has said against a backdrop of austerity, the global coronavirus pandemic, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the most “significant driver” of this poor mental health increase is financial insecurity. Additionally, according to the charity, those experiencing economic and social inequality have been hit the hardest.

Dr Calum MacLeod, policy and public affairs manager at the MHF, said: “The past 15 years have been incredibly challenging for many people. Rising living costs, insecure work and pressure on public services have all taken a toll on people’s wellbeing.

“Today, the number of people experiencing poor mental health in Scotland could fill Hampden 22 times over. We must take urgent action to address the root causes of this public mental health emergency, or that number will continue to grow.”

If people do not receive help, he warned: “Otherwise, more people, families and communities will be devastated by a preventable condition.”

The report found concern around money was a significant factor in the increasing rate of poor mental health, with nearly half of Scottish adults (47%) feeling financially insecure.

A “widening gap” was also shown between communities, with 31 per cent of those in deprived areas stating poor mental health in comparison to 17 per cent of those in the least deprived parts of the country.

While Scotland is recognised as the only UK nation to have decreased childhood poverty rates, as well as having increases in the mental health budget and community initiatives, the charity warns other commitments have been missed.

For example, the 2021 pledge to ensure 10 per cent of NHS spend is on mental health, with one per cent going to service for children and young adults.

Dr MacLeod added: “While our findings are deeply worrying, these trends can and must be reversed. The importance of preventing poor mental health is now widely recognised, with recent Scottish Government strategies giving it greater prominence.

“However, investment and implementation have, so far, fallen short of what is needed. There is broad agreement on the need for a more cross-Government approach, but delivering this in practice remains elusive.”

In a bid to decrease the poor mental health figures in Scotland, the MHF has made a number of recommendations to the Scottish Government, such as creating a new £20million fund for improving mental health and calling for a legal duty to embed preventative action in budgets.