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Mental health and support

Life has its ups and downs and we’re here to support you during both

If you’re concerned your mental health is impacting how you manage your money, we have a range of services available to support you.

Your mental health and money

Money problems and mental health issues are sometimes linked, with one causing or influencing the other.

If you feel your financial situation is impacting your mental health, you’re not alone. Research by the ONS suggests over a third of us feel stressed out when we think about money.1

Signs you may be struggling

  • you feel anxious about reading bank statements or checking your account balance
  • you’re worried about paying bills or opening important letters
  • your sleep is disturbed because you’re thinking about your finances
  • you feel low and anxious or like there’s no way forward due to your financial situation
  • you feel guilty after spending money or feel like you spend money on things you shouldn’t 
  • you can't concentrate, focus, or understand bills and letters
  • you struggle to ask for help and feel increasingly isolated

If you’re struggling with any of these challenges, we encourage you to:

  • get in touch with us to find out how we can support you
  • visit your GP or contact a healthcare professional who can help
  • reach out to an organisation that can support you
  • find someone who may be able to 

1For more information, .

first direct is a division of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

How can we help?

Money worries

If you've missed a bill or payment, or think you might, it's important you let us know as soon as possible. We may be able to offer you support and help you better manage your finances.

Budgeting

Use our online resources and guides to review your finances, create a budget and plan a way forward. This can help you assess your incomings, outgoings and disposable income.

Managing Debt

If you’re struggling with debt you have with us and have missed a payment, or are worried about missing a payment, you can call our team of specialists on 0800 028 7183 to get a helping hand. 

Or if you prefer, you can speak to us on Chat.

Lines are open:

from 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday

from 08:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays

Please note, lines will not be open on public holidays. Calls may be monitored or recorded. 

You can also take a look at our series of guides to help you tackle your debts and take control of your finances.

Getting in touch

Call us

If your mental health is affecting your ability to manage your finances, when you’re ready to speak to us, you can call us on 03457 404 404.

Lines are open from 08:00 to 20:00 every day

Calls charges are the same as local rate calls. However, you may want to check with your service provider whether these charges are covered under your existing call plan.

Online banking and Chat service

We have a Chat service so you can speak to someone without having to call. To start a chat with one of our agents, log on to online banking and select the ‘Chat’ button. Or to talk to us through your Mobile app, log on and select ‘Support’ and then ‘Chat with us’.

If you start a conversation through online banking, you can continue through ‘Chat with us’ on your mobile if you need to be on the move.

You can also speak to us through the Chat tab on the side of this page, however we may not be able to support all queries through this channel. If the ‘Chat’ option is not on the side of the page, this means we have no available agents. If this is the case, please try one of the alternative contact options.

Getting help from someone else

If you need some extra support from someone you know to manage your finances but want to keep some financial independence, our Independence Service may be suitable or we can arrange to set up a third party mandate for you.

If you feel it’s too much to manage your account, you can also empower someone to act on your behalf by getting a Power of Attorney. If you’d like more information about what a Power of Attorney does, the  has more information. We also have more information on how you assist someone with their money.

For those living with dementia, we have some helpful ways to manage your finances.

Where else to get help from

The Samaritans support anyone in distress or crisis

Telephone 116 123

Mind provides information, advice and support on mental health problems 

Telephone 0300 123 3393

Rethink help those severely affected by mental health problems 

Telephone 0300 500 0927

Anxiety UK provides a range of services for those affected by anxiety, stress or anxiety-based depression

Telephone 0844 775 774

mental health accessible logo

The  has awarded 51³Ô¹ÏÍø its Mental Health Accessible accreditation for essential services. This accreditation recognises that we’ve taken action to improve service accessibility for people experiencing mental health conditions.

Explore more

 

We're here to support you and your banking in the way that works for you. 

 

Access help if you have hearing, visual, speech, mobility or dexterity impairments, or mental health issues.

 

Find out how to be appointed to help someone with their finances. You can also find out how to appoint another person to help you with your own finances.

 

Get information on what to do when there are changes to your or someone else's health, and find out how we can support you to make a big financial decision.

It's easy to answer your query online. Visit our Help page to find out how.