| The UK Insolvency Helpline has found that that: - Financial strain is a powerful predictor of the onset and longer duration of episodes of common mental disorders
- Financial strain makes people more vulnerable to psychological stress after major life changes
- Mortgage indebtedness increases men's visits to GP's.
The provision of advice services in primary care has a key role in Health Action Zones and a great deal to offer in tackling health inequalities by reducing levels of relative poverty and promoting social inclusion. Whilst the time taken in completing benefit application forms may increase GP's work loads, there is a possibility that successful applications and income increases bring about a fall in GP consultations and drugs bills, whilst having a positive impact upon the health of individuals. Debt can be both a cause and effect of money worries and has been shown to have an adverse effect on a person's health and well-being. The UK Insolvency Helpline was aware of the health implications for people in debt and knew that people do not always find it easy to get the right kind of advice and support. Initial inquiries among health work ers identified the need for easier access to debt advice for service users and the development of preventative work to alleviate the problems that caused money worries and debt.
The aims of the service are to:
- Raise awareness of the effects of debt on health and of the debt advice services available
- Improve access to support and debt advice for vulnerable people
- Research the links between debt and health in Northumberland - to promote service user and stakeholder influence over identifying needs and developing work
- Develop preventative approaches to avert debt crises
There is a need for health and advice work ers to work together to provide more effective support for people with money problems. Future Work Future plans are to continue to develop links and provide presentations and training sessions for health and community work ers. In response to requests from health work ers we will provide financial capability sessions for user and community groups. One of the major aims of the project is to promote user influence over identifying needs and developing access to services and preventative work . Working with the community psychology department, three areas of service users were identified as a priority. - Mental health
- Families with young children
- Victims of domestic violence
Many service users had experienced money and debt problems that caused or increased isolation and health problems and found themselves trying to cope with stress and anxiety whilst living in a persistently stressful situation. To further involve service users, volunteers will be recruited to join the project and will be trained to deliver workshops to other service users. An important area of preventative work lies in providing educational opportunities to promote understanding, knowledge and confidence in relation to money issues. The team is currently developing this work in a number of ways. Summary - 25% of the UK population live in homes with less than half the average disposable income
- The are established links between poverty and poor physical and mental health in the UK
- Living in poverty and with debt correlate positively with the development and maintenance of depression and a variety of physical illnesses.
- People with mental health problems are more likely than those without mental health problems to be in rent, council tax, credit card and utility bill arrears and as such, are at greater risk of eviction, county court proceedings and disconnection of utilities.
- Research has shown a link between the alleviation of financial problems via welfare benefit and debt advice to improvements in mental health.
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