One in four people will take at least a year to financially recover from the pandemic, according to analysis poverty charity Turn2Us.

Those who have lost income and incurred debts since last March will need an average of 17 months to get their finances back to pre-pandemic levels, it warns.

The charity says that 15 per cent of people are struggling to afford their rent or mortgage payments, 19 per cent are having difficulties with bills and 17 per cent are finding it hard to pay for food.

Financial worries have compounded the impact of the pandemic on mental health, as 62 per cent of people say their mental wellbeing has been affected and 33 per cent say it has had significant consequences.

Turn2us chief executive Thomas Lawson says: “We have been inundated with demand for support over the last twelve months, giving millions of pounds in grants, and we see no sign of this slowing down any time soon.

“It will take us significant time to recover from the debt, loss of income and damage to mental health that so many of us have experienced in this pandemic, which is why it is so important that the government makes permanent the £20 uplift to Universal Credit and extends it to legacy benefits.

Money and Mental Health Policy Institute chief executive Helen Undy says: “Mental health problems and debt can be a marriage made in hell, and these issues have become even more acute in the current crisis, with millions more people affected. 

“It’s vital that the government strengthens the safety net for people — by making the Universal Credit uplift permanent and extending it to other benefits, and by ensuring everyone can access adequate sick pay.”