The Analysis Editor’s Letter


Mental health in the spotlight


Stephen Kiely Editor, CCRMagazine stephen@ccrmagazine.co.uk


New research published last month from the University of Bristol, in partnership with the Money Advice Trust and the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, outlined the experiences of nearly 1,600 UK debt advisers when supporting people in vulnerable situations. The report, Vulnerability: the experience of debt


advisers found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of advisers encountered at least one client in the past 12 months who disclosed suicidal thoughts or feelings. More than half (56%) believed they had


spoken to someone at serious risk of taking their own life. Of the 87 clients that a typical adviser dealt


with in a full-time working month, an average of 35 disclosed they lived with a mental-health problem, while around seven said they had an addiction to gambling, alcohol or other substances. The report also used survey data from


makes a strong case for improving support and training for debt advisers on issues such as gambling and suicide. “It also highlights the importance of


improving access to wider support services if debt advice clients are to get the holistic help they so often need.” Joanna Elson OBE, chief executive of the


Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline said: “The diverse range of vulnerable situations that people are faced with beyond their financial difficulties, shows the challenging job debt advisers face on a daily basis. “With demand for debt advice continuing


nearly 400 people with experience of mental- health problems, and their experiences of seeking and receiving debt advice. Out of the more than 260 people with mental-health problems who received debt advice, four out of 10 (44%) had not discussed their mental-health condition with the advice organisation they dealt with. Reasons for this included not knowing it would make a difference (65%), concern as to what would happen to their information (28%) and feeling they would not be treated sensitively (23%). While most advisers said they felt fairly confident in identifying a


discussed their mental- health condition with the advice organisation they dealt with. Reasons for this included not knowing it would make a difference (65%)


Out of the more than 260 people with mental-health problems who received debt advice, four out of 10


(44%) had not


client in a potentially vulnerable situation, the research suggested a need for adviser training to turn identification into effective support. More than half (56%), for example, said they had not received training on supporting clients with gambling problems. Wider factors such as funding, time and a lack of local support


services to refer clients to were also identified as challenges to providing people with the best support possible. Professor Sharon Collard, director of the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol, said: “The research


December 2018


to grow, this report comes at an important time. We look forward to working with partners across the sector to build on the support available and to launching training in the new year in important areas including addictions and suicide prevention.” Helen Undy, director of the Money and


Mental Health Policy Institute, said: “Around half of people in problem debt also have mental-health problems, but many struggle to disclose this to debt advisers. That is largely because they fear they will not be treated sensitively, or that it will not make any difference to their situation. “We would like to see debt advisers


equipped with more training and tools to help them identify when clients are


struggling with their mental health, and to work with clients to find a sustainable solution that works.” I truly believe that it is almost impossible to claim that the credit,


collections, and enforcement industry as a whole has not made huge strides in terms of how it works with customers struggling from mental-health difficulties, but it is always important to take a chance to reflect on the current situation. So, no doubt, much has already been done, but we should always


challenge ourselves to consider how much more is in the realms of the industry to effect. Enjoy the magazine!


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