70% fear for standard of living in 2012

MONEY, job and mortgage worries continue to preoccupy the nation, with almost seven in 10 Irish people saying they are afraid they will not be able to live comfortably in 2012, according to a survey by the Samaritans.

At a time when more than a quarter of people (27%) ranked 2011 as either a “bad year” or our “worst year ever”, it appears anxiety levels for 2012 are unlikely to abate.

The key findings of the survey show:

* One in five people are worried about losing the roof over their heads in 2012. The numbers at risk of losing their home at the end of 2011 was close to 25,000. Close to 100,000 mortgages are in arrears or have been restructured;

* Almost half (49%) are worried about losing their jobs or the difficulty of finding work at a time when live register figures are close to 450,000 and the unemployment rate is 14.5%;

* Problems with family and friends are a worry for almost one in four and physical health is a cause for concern among almost one third;

* Those aged 45-54 were most worried about money, the bank balance or debt in the last year but least likely to have had concerns about loneliness;

* Surprisingly, those aged 18-24 were most worried about loneliness in 2011: 27% of this age group reported loneliness as a major concern.

A similar survey carried out by the Samaritans in Britain found our nearest neighbours share many of our concerns, but not to the same degree.

For instance, just half of Britons cited debt and the bank balance as their biggest concern, compared to two thirds surveyed here (64%).

In addition, far more of us cited their mortgage, rent or other housing issues as our biggest concern for 2011 — at 30% the figure was almost double that in Britain (16%). However, the number of Britons who cited 2011 as a “bad year” or their “worst year ever” (24%) was close to the Irish experience.

Samaritans’ director of Ireland, Suzanne Costello, said they had seen a 9% increase in the number of calls to their helpline over the past year to more than 250,000 calls.

“We know the effects of the recession have hit people hard, so if you’re struggling to cope with the challenges you’re facing in these difficult times, we’d encourage you to get in touch with Samaritans,” she said. “Our service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is available throughout the Christmas and New Year period.”

Just 2% of adults said 2011 was their best year ever. More than one in five said their biggest concern was their ability to cope emotionally.

The survey of more than 1,000 adults, carried out in December by YouGov, also found 70% of us are worried we will suffer directly from cuts in spending on public service next year including health, education and welfare.

* The Samaritans can be contacted at 1850 609090.