Skip to main content
Home
Menu Close

Utility menu

  • Why join BASW
  • Events
  • Media Centre

Popular on BASW

Campaigning and influencing
World social work day
Social work stands against poverty
People with lived experience
Career stages
Cost of living crisis

Main navigation

  • About social work
    • What is social work?
    • Topics in social work
    • Professional Social Work (PSW) Magazine
  • Careers
    • Become a social worker
    • Returning to social work
    • For employers
    • Specialisms
    • Career stages
    • Jobs board
    • Work for BASW
  • About BASW
    • Campaigning and influencing
    • Governance
    • Social work around the UK
    • Awards
    • Social work conferences UK
    • International Work
    • Feedback, suggestions & complaints
  • Training & CPD
    • Professional Development
    • Professional Capabilities Framework
    • Let's Talk Social Work Podcast
  • Policy & Practice
    • Resources
    • National policies
    • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Working with...
    • Research and knowledge
    • Standards
  • Support
    • Advice & representation
    • Social Workers Union (SWU)
    • Social Work Professional Support Service (SWPSS)
    • Independent social workers
    • Student Hub
    • Financial support
    • Groups and networks
    • Manage your membership
    • How to contact us
Professional Social Work Magazine

Professional Social Work Magazine (PSW)

Main navigation

  • Digital editions
  • Guidance for contributors
  • PSW articles
  • Advertising

People in mental health crisis missing out on debt relief

Government-backed scheme reaching 'tip of iceberg' because professionals aren't referring in
Eviction notice

Thousands of people in mental health crisis and in debt are missing out on financial support due to a lack of awareness of a government-backed scheme.

Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space gives protection from creditors for as a long as an individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment.

But organisers say it is only reaching the “tip of the iceberg” of those who need help because professionals are not referring into the service.

Amrin Kerry, an approved mental health professional (AMHP) with charity The Kaleidoscope Plus Group leads the programme and said: “Local authority statistics show there are tens of thousands of people receiving mental health crisis support but we are getting one to two per cent of referrals from them.

“There is a huge link between financial difficulties and people’s mental health, relapses in mental health and the severity and need for crisis intervention.

“But because partner agencies are not having the right conversations the scheme isn’t being promoted so we are not getting as many referrals as we should.”

The scheme provides debt respite for people in England and Wales, pausing repayments, interest charges and enforcement notices for the duration of their mental health crisis. 

As well as a freeze for the duration of treatment, the programme gives a further 30 days grace for debt advice. A patient needs to have qualifying debts and either be detained under the Mental Health Act or receiving acute care in a mental health setting or via a home treatment crisis team. 

According to Kerry, problems with money often present alongside mental health problems.

“With so many people I have assessed who have become mentally unwell there’s variations of financial difficulties.

“People purchase things excessively, they start gambling, become substance misusers. They stop playing bills and don’t want to respond to letters.

“People can also misuse credit cards. I have known people buying expensive CCTV cameras and security systems to protect themselves because they are having delusional believes.”

People who are struggling with their mental health can also be victim to financial exploitation, said Kerry. “You’ve got debt companies that will give you same day cash loans with very extremely high interest rates.

“If you’re in mental health crisis and have a household to run, you’re going to try anything to rectify the situation and can become extremely vulnerable to these companies.”

The statutory programme is run by We Are Group which took over from mental health charity Rethink at the start of this year, working with the Kaleidoscope Plus Group and debt advisers from Toynbee Hall.

Kerry said the pandemic added to financial difficulties experienced by people in mental health crisis.

“That was especially so for people with psychosis, bipolar or schizophrenia and depression. It triggered a lot of severe mental health conditions, including hoarding and bulk-buying. For some it was delusional beliefs like the world’s going to end or there’s going to be an attack.”

It is not only people with a history of mental illness that can find themselves in mental and financial crisis triggered by life events, stressed Kerry.

“I’ve assessed many people in the community who’ve led able lives with a job and a family home. Then their relationship breaks down, they live in separate households and the financial implications of managing the finances on their own on top of work pressures and arranging contact with children triggers a deep depression.

“They have all these life issues, including financial strains, that they didn’t disclose until it gets to breaking point.”

Kerry urged professionals to have conversations about finances with people as part of their assessments.

“People aren’t talking about these things openly because they are embarrassed or they are ashamed.

“Social workers look at people holistically so they can identify these issues and start to do preventative work before things get to crisis.” 

To find out more including how to make a referral visit www.wearegroup.com/mhcbs

Date published
24 September 2025

Join us for amazing benefits

Become a member

Have a question?

Contact us

BASW: By your side, every step of the way

British Association of Social Workers is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England. 

Company number: 00982041

Wellesley House, 37 Waterloo Street, 
Birmingham, B2 5PP
+44 (0) 121 622 3911

Contact us

Follow us

Copyright ©2023 British Association of Social Workers | Site by Agile Collective | Privacy Policy

  • About social work
    • What is social work?
      • What social workers do
      • People with lived experience
      • Regulators & professional registration
      • World Social Work Day
    • Topics in social work
    • Professional Social Work (PSW) Magazine
      • Digital editions
      • Guidance for contributors
      • PSW articles
      • Advertising
  • Careers
    • Become a social worker
    • Returning to social work
    • For employers
    • Specialisms
    • Career stages
      • Self-Employed Social Workers
        • Your tax affairs working through umbrella service companies
      • Agency and locum social work
    • Jobs board
    • Work for BASW
      • BASW Commitee vacancies
  • About BASW
    • Campaigning and influencing
      • Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Work
      • BASW in Westminster
      • Relationship-based practice
      • Social Work Stands Against Poverty
      • This Week in Westminster | Blog Series
      • UK Covid Inquiry
      • Professional working conditions
        • Wellbeing toolkit
      • Housing & Homelessness
    • Governance
      • BASW AGM and general meetings
        • 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
        • BASW GM 2025
        • Previous BASW AGMs
      • BASW Council
        • BASW Council biographies
        • Vacancies on Council and committees 2025
      • Staff
      • Committees
      • BASW and SWU
      • Our history
      • 50 years
      • Special interest, thematic groups and experts
      • Nations
    • Social work around the UK
      • BASW Cymru
        • BASW Cymru Annual Conference 2024
        • Campaigns
      • BASW England
        • Campaigns
          • Homes Not Hospitals
          • Social Work in Disasters
          • 80-20 campaign
          • Review of Children’s Social Care
        • Meet the Team
          • BASW England Welcome Events
        • Our Services
          • Mentoring Service | BASW England
        • Social Work England
      • BASW Northern Ireland
        • About Us
        • Consultation responses
        • Find out about the BASW NI National Standing Committee
        • Political engagement
        • BASW NI & IASW's associate membership
      • SASW (BASW in Scotland)
        • About Us
        • Our Work
          • Scottish students and NQSWs
          • Cross-Party Group on Social Work (Scotland)
          • Social Work Policy Panel
          • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
          • Campaigns
        • SASW Annual Conference 2025
        • Coalitions & Partnerships
        • Get Involved
    • Awards
      • Amazing Social Workers
        • Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 1
        • Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 2
        • Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 3
        • Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 4
        • Amazing Social Workers profiles: Week 5
      • The BASW Social Work Journalism Awards
    • Social work conferences UK
    • International Work
      • Israel and Palestine/Gaza conflict | BASW/SWU Information Hub
      • IFSW and other international social work organisations
      • Influencing social work policy in the Commonwealth
      • Invasion of Ukraine | BASW Information Hub
    • Feedback, suggestions & complaints
  • Training & CPD
    • Professional Development
      • General Taught Skills Programme
      • Student Learning
      • Newly Qualified Social Worker Programme
      • Practice Educator & Assessor Programme
      • Stepping Stones Programme
      • Expert Insight Series
      • Social Work in Disasters online training
        • Module 1: Introduction to Social Work in Disasters (Online training)
        • Module 2: Law, Policy and Best Practice (Social Work In Disasters Training)
        • Module 3: Person-centred and research informed practice within a multi-agency context (Social Work in Disasters Online Training)
        • Module 4: Responding, using theory and self-care (Social Work in Disasters Online Training)
      • Overseas Qualified Social Worker (OQSW) Programme
    • Professional Capabilities Framework
      • About the PCF
      • Point of entry to training
      • Readiness for practice
      • End of first placement
      • End of last placement
      • Newly qualified social worker (ASYE level)
      • Social worker
      • Experienced social worker
      • Advanced social worker
      • Strategic social worker
    • Let's Talk Social Work Podcast
  • Policy & Practice
    • Resources
    • National policies
    • Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
    • Working with...
      • Older people
        • Learning resources
        • Useful resources to support social work capabilities with older people
      • Autistic people
        • An introduction to the Capability Statement
        • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
          • Autistic adults toolkit
            • Autistic adults toolkit introduction
            • Feedback tool
            • Induction tool
            • Introduction to video: Sylvia Stanway - Autistic not broken
            • References
            • Reflective tool
            • The role of the social worker with autistic adults
            • Top tips
          • Organisational self-assessment tool
          • Post-qualifying training programmes
        • The Capabilities Statement for Social Work with Autistic Adults
      • People with learning disabilities
        • Introduction
        • Capabilities Statement and CPD Pathway: Resources
          • People with learning disabilities toolkit
            • People with learning disabilities toolkit introduction
            • Information sheet
            • Top tips
            • Induction tool
            • Reflective tool
            • References
            • Hair tool
          • Organisational self-assessment tool
          • Post-qualifying training programmes
        • The Capabilities for Social Work with Adults who have Learning Disability
    • Research and knowledge
      • Research journals
      • BASW bookshop
    • Standards
      • Code of Ethics
        • BASW Code of Ethics: Launch of 2021 refreshed version webinar
      • Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)
      • Quality Assurance in Practice Learning (QAPL)
  • Support
    • Advice & representation
    • Social Workers Union (SWU)
    • Social Work Professional Support Service (SWPSS)
      • Become a volunteer coach (SWPSS)
    • Independent social workers
      • Independent member benefits
      • BASW Independents Toolkit
        • Section 1: Foundations for Independent Social Work
        • Section 2: Doing Independent Social Work
        • Section 3: Running your business
        • Section 4: Decisions and transitions
      • BASW Independents directory
      • Social Work Employment Services (SWES)
    • Student Hub
    • Financial support
      • International Development Fund (IDF)
    • Groups and networks
      • Special interest groups
        • Alcohol and other drugs Special Interest Group
        • BASW Neurodivergent Social Workers Special Interest Group (NSW SIG)
        • Project Group on Assisted Reproduction (PROGAR)
        • The Diaspora special interest group
      • Special Interest Group on Social Work & Ageing
      • Independents local networks
      • Local branches (England)
      • Groups and forums (Scotland)
      • Thematic groups (England)
        • Adult Social Work Thematic Group
        • Black & Ethnic Minority Professionals Symposium (BPS)
        • Children & Families Group
          • Children & Families Resources Library
          • Disabled Children's Sub-group
        • Criminal Justice Group
        • Emergency Duty Team Group
        • Mental Health Group
        • Professional Capabilities and Development Group
        • Social Workers in Health Group
        • Student & Newly Qualified Group
        • Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Group
      • Networks (Wales)
    • Manage your membership
    • How to contact us
  • Why join BASW
    • Benefits of joining BASW
      • The BASW UK University Social Work Education Provider Affiliation Scheme
    • Membership Categories
      • Student member
      • Working (qualified less than 5 years) Membership
      • Working (qualified more than 5 years) Membership
      • Independent membership
      • Newly qualified social worker
      • Retired membership
      • Unemployed/unpaid membership
    • Membership FAQs
    • Membership renewals
    • Membership fees
  • Events
  • Media Centre
    • BASW in the media
    • BASW News and blogs