Employment Gap For Newcastle Mental Health Sufferers

Only 1 in 4 people in Newcastle with a mental health issue are in work.

Figures from the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) suggest just 26% are in employment.

The group say in England the average is 39%.

In Newcastle only 50% of those on the Care Programme Approach (CPA- those with complex needs) were in ‘settled accommodation’

Stuart Dexter from Tyneside Mind says attitudes among employers needs to change.

"I think it's very difficult if you have had a mental health problem, I think a lot of employers are very worried about that. It can be difficult to explain gaps on your CV to potential employers. Because jobs are hard to come by in the North East, the figures don't surprise me unfortunately."