One in four Scots have accessed NHS as cost of living affects health, poll finds

More than a quarter of adults in Scotland have accessed the NHS due to the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on their mental or physical health, according to new research.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said action is needed as it warned a “cycle of health inequality” is “an injustice that is failing our people and turning up the pressure on the NHS”.

The survey for the JRF found that among those who reported the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their health, just under one in 10 (9%) needed to access hospital services – either accident and emergency or other care – for physical problems.

More than one in 20 (6%) had needed support from acute mental health services.

JRF is calling on the UK and Scottish governments to tackle poverty to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.

Chris Birt, associate director for JRF in Scotland, said: “Our nation’s health has been of great concern for far too many years, with outrageous numbers of people in Scotland dying sooner and spending more years in poor health than they should.

“It stands to reason, but is still shocking to see, the scale on which people are seeing a decline in their health as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Unacceptable levels of poverty and high prices mean that it can be all but impossible for many families to live in the warm home we all need, or provide the regular, nutritious and cooked meals that keep us healthy.

“This cycle of health inequality is an injustice that is failing our people and turning up the pressure on the NHS.

“It’s wrong that so many people in a rich country are living shorter, less healthy lives because they can’t afford essentials, and it is also outrageous that we are at risk of overwhelming the NHS through a lack of action.

“This was an avoidable crisis that has been inflicted on low-income households across Scotland and the UK.

“The real answer isn’t going to be a bigger health service to manage the symptoms – it is to cure the underlying poverty that is pulling so many into ill-health.”

The poll of more 4,200 adults in Scotland was carried out by Savanta ComRes between March 19 and 29.

It found 26% of those surveyed said they have accessed the NHS due to the impact of the cost of living on their mental or physical health.

JRF also said the rising tide of poor health is affecting groups who have been long known to be at risk from poverty, with nearly two-thirds of single parents (63%) reporting a somewhat or very negative impact on their physical health.

It said this was a sizeable jump from around 50% in the previous survey in 2022.

The charity is calling on the UK Government to adopt the essentials guarantee that JRF is proposing with the Trussell Trust, which it said would ensure universal credit provides enough so no-one goes without the essentials.

It also urged the Scottish Government to recommit to and accelerate efforts to create a minimum income guarantee.

A UK Government spokeswoman said: “We recognise the pressures of the rising cost of living which is why we have a plan to halve inflation and have provided record levels of direct financial support – £1,200 for more than eight million vulnerable households last year and up to another £1,350 in 2023/24 for those most in need, including the latest £301 cost of living payment which over 686,000 families in Scotland are starting to receive this week.

“This is on top of uprating benefits by 10.1% and making an unprecedented increase to the National Living Wage this month, while our Energy Price Guarantee continues to hold down people’s energy bills.

“We are also giving the Scottish Government an extra £82 million to help people in Scotland with essential costs – this is in addition to the significant welfare and housing powers they already have.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of the Scottish Government’s three critical missions. Socioeconomic inequalities drive health inequalities, that is why our public health efforts are complemented by wide-ranging cross-government action.

“The First Minister is convening an anti-poverty summit on Wednesday that will inform Scotland’s drive to tackle poverty and inequality.

“Only with full powers of independence can we eradicate inequality and poverty. In the meantime, we will use our fixed budget and the powers we have to continue to tackle poverty in all its forms and protect people as far as possible from the harm inflicted by UK Government policies.

“This includes providing free childcare and transport, delivering affordable housing, mitigating the UK Government’s benefit cap and bedroom tax, as well as using Scottish Government benefits to support people, including through the game-changing Scottish Child Payment and the Carers Allowance Supplement – two of seven benefits only available in Scotland.

“Most of the key policy levers needed to address the crisis still lie with the UK Government. We continue to urge them to use all the levers at their disposal to tackle this emergency on the scale required.”