Ben has seen a 51% increase in the number of automotive industry professionals seeking its assistance in the third quarter of 2016.

The not-for-profit organisation, which partners with the automotive industry to provide support for employees and their families, saw an increase from 466 enquiries during April to June to 909 enquiries during July to September.

A report into the various enquiries, including calls to Ben’s helpline, emails and referrals from other organisations, found that 84% of those seeking the charity’s help are of working age and currently working in the automotive industry.

Nearly half (49%) of requests for help were from people concerned about their finances and the second biggest reason why people contacted Ben was for help with their physical health, accounting for 29% of enquiries.

Zara Ross, Ben’s chief executive, said: “Our latest quarterly Impact update provides valuable information – it offers an overview of who we helped as well as the areas having the biggest impact on people in the industry today. This is powerful data to inform the industry of the key issues affecting its workforce.

“The increase in the number of people we have supported in Q2 compared to Q1 highlights the real need for our services and also allows us to understand the reasons why people need our help.

“Over the past few months of reporting, we are seeing some trends – with financial health continuing to be the biggest concern each time – with the number of enquiries growing each quarter.”

Ross said that Ben was working with an increasing number of companies in the industry, as an integral partner, using the important information from our reports to provide the relevant training and advice services to employees.

She added: “We aim to help equip people stay fit for business and fit for life, therefore adding value to the industry by reducing absence, improving productivity and raising morale.”