A NEW survey has revealed that the cost of living crisis is having a serious impact on young people's mental health, employment opportunities, and even their ability to access regular meals. 

Research conducted by the charity, UK Youth, surveyed young people aged 16-25 and parents across the North West, discovering that nearly two-thirds of young people reported a negative impact on their mental health. 

It also found that 47 per cent of young people reported difficulty heating their homes, while 21 per cent struggled to access regular meals.

Hannah Gill, project manager at The Rock Youth Project in Carlisle, said: "The areas we work in have high levels of deprivation and the cost of living crisis has hit our community hard. 

"We have seen more young people attending our service, many coming for a free hot meal as they would go without at home. 

"We have also had to branch out into community work, opening a free food bank, toiletry hygiene bank, clothes and baby items bank along with free community coffee mornings, teen parent mornings and a community washing machine. 

"We have seen an increase in take up of all of these services. 

"The Easter holidays saw us give out double the number of food packages than we do in term time and we have had huge numbers of young people through our doors as parents and carers can’t afford childcare. 

"We are seeing particular problems with young people from families with parents or carers in work. 

"The current support available focuses on people with benefits, which is needed, but those who are working don’t qualify for support and are falling through the cracks. 

"There are many people working full time who still can’t make ends meet," she said. 

The Rock Youth Project has been awarded a grant of £6,000 by UK Youth and Pears Foundation to help the charity cope with the cost of living crisis.