The numbers of Financial Conduct Authority staff receiving counselling for “work or external stress” tripled during the first year of a pandemic which has prompted a spike in mental ill-health amongst City workers.

Just under 60 employees at the UK's markets watchdog sought free counselling for stress-related matters in the 12 months to February 2021, up from from 21 in the year to February 2020 , according to a response to a Freedom of Information request by Financial News.