MORE PEOPLE CONTACTED the Samaritans last year to discuss their financial worries compared to the year previous according to the charities annual snapshot survey.
It examined five Samaritans’ branches around the UK and Ireland during one week in November, involving over 2,000 people.
The survey found that between November 24-30 last year – 20.4% of callers to Samaritans in Ireland mentioned their financial worries, compared with 17.2% cent in the same week in 2013.
This was above the average of all five branches – which showed 13.8% of people discussed financial concerns in 2014.
One in seven people discussed financial issues last year compared with one in six in 2013. However, one in 10 discussed financial issues at the start of the recession in 2008.
Dublin
More women than men contacted the Dublin branch and discussed financial issues, and more women contacted the branch overall. Calls from both sexes rose from 360 in 2013 to 550 during the week surveyed in 2014.
Two hundred and fifty men and 278 women contacted the branch during the survey week in 2014, and 18.8% of the men and 23% of the women discussed financial issues.
Catherine Brogan, Executive Director for Samaritans Ireland said:
The results of the survey show, that financial problems are still a big concern for our callers. Although things are starting to improve in Ireland, a lot of people are still struggling and this can add to their feelings of loneliness and isolation.
“It is important that people know that Samaritans are here round the clock to provide them with a space to talk about what they are going through.”
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