Concerns about personal finances topped the list of COVID-19 challenges for dealership staff in a new CarGurus survey, with 41% of respondents saying they were struggling financially.

The snapshot study suggests that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting far more than financial worries though, with anxiety (24%) and stress (21%) among the other major issues raised by respondents.

In response to this issue, CarGurus has partnered with automotive industry charity Ben.

Wendy Harris, VP of european sales at CarGurus, said: “The industry is going through an extremely challenging period that is affecting people as well as businesses. Now more than ever it’s vital for us to be supporting our dealer partners in any way we can.”

At the heart of this new partnership is a desire to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing challenges in the automotive industry, and to provide resources to help people navigate through the trying times the industry faces in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CarGurus’ Driving Difference resource centre has been expanded to place information about specific areas of mental health and wellbeing within easy reach of dealers that may be affected as a result of the current situation.

These tips, provided by Ben, cover a range of topics such as stress, working from home and loneliness, as well as providing information on how to get further assistance from Ben should the situation require it.

Matt Wigginton, fundraising director at Ben, added: “We’re delighted to be partnering with CarGurus on such an important initiative, with the aim of providing much-needed support to dealers during challenging times.

“Our industry has been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic and automotive people need our support, now more than ever, when faced with money worries, stress and mental health issues. We want everyone in our industry to know that we’re here for them and we can provide the personal support they need.”