Debt & Mental Health: Staying Resilient

Start with free debt advice

Extra disability-related costs or reduced earnings can put pressure on a household budget. If bills or debts are becoming difficult to manage, a free debt adviser can help you assess the full position. Keep any court papers, enforcement notices and deadlines to hand.

• StepChange: free debt advice online or on 0800 138 1111. Its contact page lists Monday–Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday 9am–2pm; check for changes.
• National Debtline: free debt advice for England, Wales and Scotland on 0808 808 4000, with online options.
• Citizens Advice: check the local service for debt and benefits advice and the support available.

Breathing Space: check the conditions

In England and Wales, a debt adviser can consider whether Breathing Space is appropriate. The standard scheme can protect qualifying debts for up to 60 days from specified enforcement, contact, interest and charges. It is not a payment holiday or protection for every debt, and eligibility conditions apply.

The mental health crisis route requires qualifying crisis treatment and the required professional evidence. Its protection runs for the treatment period plus 30 days. Ordinary counselling or a mental-health diagnosis alone does not establish this route. A debt adviser checks the application; someone else may approach them for a person unable to do so. See the official scheme guidance.

Support for how you are feeling

You can ask for help with emotional distress as well as money worries. Tell your GP how you are feeling and ask about suitable local support. This page does not diagnose burnout or assume what is causing someone’s symptoms.

• Mind Infoline: 0300 123 3393 for mental-health information and service finding; check its current opening hours.
• Carers UK: 0808 808 7777 for caring-related information and signposting.
• Samaritans: call 116 123 free, day or night, for emotional support.

For urgent help, use our crisis support page. A debt service or information helpline is not an emergency service.

Check benefits and practical support separately

A benefits adviser or benefits calculator listed by GOV.UK can help check household entitlement and interactions. A caring role, diagnosis or EHCP does not automatically establish entitlement to every benefit or grant.

• Child DLA: check care and mobility conditions and the country-specific claim route.
• Carer’s Allowance: check the qualifying disability benefit, caring hours, earnings, education and other rules.
• Grants and short-break routes: check each programme’s area, eligibility, availability and any charges.

Ask about a parent-carer needs assessment

For a parent aged 18 or over caring for a disabled child for whom they have parental responsibility in England, Children Act section 17ZD sets out the parent-carer needs assessment duty and conditions. Ask children’s services about that route and explain your support needs. Previous assessments and changed circumstances can matter. An assessment does not automatically create entitlement to a specific service or payment.

If you care for an adult, different Care Act assessment rules apply. Our transition guide explains planning before age 18.

Scope: information and signposting for families in Kent and England; Breathing Space covers England and Wales. Individual debt, benefits and care questions need advice about the full circumstances. This is an editorial source check, not professional legal, welfare-rights or clinical sign-off.