Scarborough Survivors: 'People call feeling ashamed they can't pay bills'
The mental health charity says people are feeling anxious and depressed
A mental health charity on the Yorkshire Coast says people are feeling ashamed that they can't pay their electricity bill.
Scarborough Survivors says they are receiving calls about anxiety and depression to do with the cost of living.
It says people are getting in touch regarding foodbanks and where people can go for grants to help with heating.
Andrea Woolcott, Chief Officer at the charity, said: "Our daytime footfall has increased and we're about to launch our 'warm and well' project, which will be anybody coming into our centre that needs our services will be given complimentary teas and coffees and a light, warm food menu.
"They're calling in with anxiety and depression etc which we're dealing with and then it's almost at the end of the call it's 'oh, and I can't pay my electricity bill' so there almost seems to be a sense of shame about that at the moment which is awful.
"Each and every one of us is affected by the increase in the cost of everything so we're trying to normalise that it's OK to be struggling and signposting, or making sure we have a laptop available for people if they need to go on any of the Government websites.
"Since everything opened up after Covid, people were starting to go out and about again and starting to sort of embrace that but now, people are worried to be in because they're feeling that they won't be able afford to heat their accommodation or to buy food.
"We've had a lot more calls around foodbanks and where people can go for grants to help them with their heating, so it's almost shifted from that isolation in terms of keeping ourselves away from people during Covid to people almost not knowing which direction to go in."
You can contact Scarborough Survivors for wellbeing and welfare help from 7.30pm to 1am on 07562974101, or alternative to its crisis helpline is 6pm to 10pm on 07860102516, both seven nights a week.
Find out more about Scarborough Survivors on its website.