Economic Wellbeing
Increased cost-of-living pressures have been significant for many across the city and have had a detrimental impact on Londoners’ mental health and wellbeing.
Increased cost-of-living pressures have been significant for many across the city and have had a detrimental impact on Londoners’ mental health and wellbeing.
Wellbeing 
There is a clear relationship between economic activity and public mental health. However, this relationship is complex and influenced by many factors and operates at multiple levels.
On an individual level, financial stability, employment status, and job security can significantly impact the opportunity for good mental health and wellbeing. In communities, economic conditions affect access to resources care, and support networks, which are critical for mental health resilience. At a societal level, broader economic policies, income inequality, and social safety nets shape overall mental health outcomes.
Economic activity and economic wellbeing have been central topics to Thrive LDN since our inception, with financial insecurity recognised as a cause and consequence for poor mental health and financial security as a protective factor.
As part of Thrive LDN’s coordination of the public mental health response to COVID-19 in London, the Economic Wellbeing Forum was stepped up to collectively recognise the impact on population mental health of financial pressures. This forum has evolved and grown in the wake of a ‘cost-of-living crisis,’ austerity and increasing poverty, in one of the wealthiest cities in the world. We are considering the role of the forum and associated projects in the context of the emerging policy landscape.
Thrive LDN’s Economic Wellbeing Forum
Thrive LDN’s Economic Wellbeing Forum has been stepped up to collectively recognise the impact on population mental health of financial pressures.
Meeting monthly, the EWF is an online forum with membership from across statutory health and social care partners and voluntary and community sector organisations. Current membership includes Debt Free Advice, Trussell Trust, Greater London Authority, Mind, Turn2Us, Rethink, FLEX, Christians Against Poverty, YGAM and some London councils amongst others.
The forum was set up with the specific intention of focusing efforts and offers of support on those from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds and/or belonging to communities which have historically been marginalised and socially excluded.
The forum has been shaping the development of a public mental health response to those dealing with the cost-of-living crisis and emerging economic pressures, particularly on timely ideas for training and resources.
By bringing together a broad range of partners from across all sectors, it has created a supportive platform that offers members the opportunity to find out more about the current support offers for Londoners, learn from collective efforts and share intelligence and best practice.
The Thrive LDN Economic Wellbeing Forum continues to create a positive impact by supporting the economic wellbeing and mental health of Londoners through proactively identifying and preparing for future challenges that Londoners may encounter.
If you’d like to be involved with the forum, get in touch for details of future meetings.
Economic Wellbeing support
We have collaborated with partners to provide a series of training programmes to support individuals helping those affected by increased cost-of-living pressures in London.
The training programmes were funded by the Mayor of London, with the aim to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals experiencing financial struggles.
Training and resources
We have also worked with various partners to provide a series of training programmes to support individuals helping those affected by increased cost-of-living pressures in London. The training programmes were funded by the Mayor of London, and they aimed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of individuals experiencing financial struggles.
- Thrive LDN partnered with Money A+E to host a free webinar on the cost-of-living crisis, the Ethnicity Premium, and the impact on racialised and marginalised communities.
- Resilience and conflict resolution training workshops, delivered in partnership with Healthy Dialogues.
- Free money guidance programme to combat the health toll of money worries, delivered in partnership with Clean Slate.
- Mental Health Awareness and Financial Hardships Training, delivered in partnership with Healthy Dialogues.
- Trauma-Informed Practice Training, delivered in partnership with Nicola Lester – Psychological Trauma Consultancy.
- Thrive LDN’s Conversation Starter Tool has been adapted to directly address the rise in cost-of-living and financial concerns, as well as offer signposting to further support including financial advice and practical help.
Evaluation
An independent evaluation report is available to download which looks at the impact of the range of mental health training offers to support Londoners during winter 2022/23 and beyond offered by Thrive LDN in conjunction with the Economic Wellbeing Forum.
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