MSE News: Plans to help credit applicants with mental health problems unveiled

How would banks identify people who may have mental health difficulties (not so difficult that they are regarded as incapable of managing their own affairs)? And would this be processed as mental health difficulties ought to be, in person and considering the needs and abilities of the individual, or as a simple numerical input to the bank's internal calculation of credit worthiness? Someone's mental health may make them reckless, but it may also make them risk-averse and obsessive about good financial behaviour.

For example, I'd consider it reasonable to be able to request to your financial institution that it make no marketing calls offering credit products and that it not accept your agreement on any credit product without the written agreement of someone who helps you, e.g. a relative/carer/therapist. A little bit of secondary legislation could require financial insitutions to comply with such requests where accompanied by a medical report. This isn't the same as an appointee, who gets to do stuff because you can't do it, nor a Power of Attorney, which allows you to still do stuff unabated unless a later decision is made on your competence. There needs to be less "capable vs incapable" in understanding of mental health, and more recognition that people experience a spectrum of difficulties and could contribute much more to society if they are helped (which sometimes mean being protected) as necessary.