THE Brexit vote has caused a sharp increase in stress levels amongst employees worried about their future prospects, according to a leading York-based counselling service - but only in the south of England.

Mind Matters says it is seeing a significant rise in people suffering from stress and anxiety since the UK voted to leave the European Union, but there seems to be a north-south divide on the issue.

The company, which is engaged by some of the UK’s largest companies, provides counselling services to thousands of people, and says the new trend could impact on business performance.

“People are literally devastated by the decision to leave the EU and it is creating uncertainty and concern for the future,” said Julie Hughes, senior case manager at Mind Matters.

“The build-up to the vote has been extremely stressful for many people and the result has left them feeling badly let down. They don’t know if their jobs will be safe and they are frustrated that there is little they can do to change the situation.

“Interestingly, people are also expressing disappointment that the UK is isolating itself from the rest of Europe.”

But Mrs Hughes said the problem seemed to be confined to the south of England. “There is a clear pattern showing a dramatic rise in the number of employees suffering Brexit stress from companies in the south but we haven’t come across any cases in the north.

“It is a serious problem because high levels of stress can trigger depression causing upset for the sufferer and their families and disruption for their employers.

“Often sufferers are too embarrassed or frightened for their job prospects to discuss their problems with colleagues, making it difficult for employers to take preventative action.

“However, there are telltale signs to watch out for, such as people becoming withdrawn or making mistakes in their work or behaving out of character.

“Fortunately we are able to ease the fears of sufferers and prevent serious mental health issues developing if we are able to put a programme of support and counselling in place at an early stage.”

However, the results of many recent surveys of businesses do not appear to suggest any major negative Brexit impact in the first months following the referendum.

For example, the Federation of Master Builders found earlier this week that the majority of small to medium-sized builders believed consumer demand for new homes remained resilient, despite the vote.

Lloyds Bank concluded that business activity in Yorkshire and Humber returned to growth last month having fallen into a decline in July following the June 23 referendum, while professional services firm Deloitte said the latest labour market figures suggested that “the jobs recovery rolls on”, though noting that the data covered only part of the post-referendum period.

But the Close Brothers Business Barometer suggested this week that two-fifths of UK small to medium-sized businesses thought the vote would lead to the country’s break-up.

l More information on Mind Matters Corporate Counselling is at mindmatterscounselling.org.uk