The numbers of people contacting Samaritans in Ireland discussing financial worries rose last year, the charity’s annual snapshot survey has found.
The survey was compiled from contacts recorded by five Samaritans branches around the UK and Ireland, between November 24-30th 2014, involving a total of just over 2,000 people.
During the week surveyed back in November 2013, 17.2 per cent of callers to Samaritans in Ireland mentioned their financial worries, compared to 20.4 per cent in the same week in 2014.
This was above the survey average for the year, which showed 13.8 per cent of people who contacted the five branches discussed financial concerns in 2014.
One in 10 people discussed financial issues in 2008, at the start of the recession.
Loneliness
More women than men contacted the Dublin branch and discussed financial issues and more women contacted the branch overall.
Calls from both men and women rose from 360 in 2013 to 550 during the week surveyed in 2014. Two hundred and fifty men and 278 women contacted that week, with 18.8 per cent of the men and 23 per cent of the women discussing money problems.
The survey found loneliness was mentioned by just over a third of people who contacted Samaritans during that period.
Figures about loneliness or isolation were included in the survey for the first time last year.
As well as feeling lonely, the number of callers who had employment concerns rose in November 2014 to 5.6 per cent, up slightly from 5 per cent in 2013.
Catherine Brogan, executive director for Samaritans Ireland said the results of the survey show financial problems are still a concern for their 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,” she said.