Please tell us your questions on mental health & debt

martynrobert.h

I have been suffering from Anxiety & Depression now for over 30 years, My wife & I plus my 14 year old daughter, like everyone else in this state of mind are discriminated by not only the general public but also my local NHS Mental Health Unit. We are about to have our home reposssed . The local C A B have been absolutely fantastic but there is only so much they can do . I was told of a Government enitative was available to purchase our home and then rent it back from them, Is this true and How does it happen. my local council say that unless we meet everyone of the 20 criteria then we would not be elegable for this. To whom do I turn to now I resently took an overdose & spent three days in the local hospital. Please help

Sarsie

When I started to become ill and bills were being unpaid the debt collection agencies got involved. I explained that I was ill with a mental health condition and the debt colection agency staff were rude to the point of cruel. I remember the most hurtful comments being along the lines of "yeah well we could all say that couldn't we" and "oh everyone that doesn't pay thier bills has got [that]" and "we've got no proof of that". In the end it was too destructive to even deal with the vicsious approach I stopped addressing the debt at all and it festered.

So I would like the guide to address exactly what my rights are in terms of being humilliated and taunted by callers. Are they allowed to do this? If not what can a person do about it and who can we ask to help us?

rosalie-lavender

I would like to see something included about the support that is available to mentally ill university students and how to access it. My son started university in October after being ill all summer with depression and anxiety. The support he has received from the university has helped him to get through his first year and as a result, although he is still not completely well he is far more confident than he was a few months ago.

The help he has received include free counselling (He is still waiting for the nhs counselling he was referred for last July.) He has a mental health nurse he can go to at university if he needs to see her. The university also run courses and workshops to boost confidence and self esteem. He is allowed to have extra time in exams if needed because of the anxiety issues and can sit them in a seperate room.

I had no idea until recently that extra help could be available through student finance. My son receives bursaries so it isn't necessary for him but other people might not be aware of it. I have also found a number of friends have student children who have no idea they can apply for a certificate for free prescriptions. Whilst this applies to any student, someone with mental health problems is likely to be paying for prescriptions for any drugs they take.

Different universities are obviously going to offer different things but there must presumably be a basic range of things that all universities have to offer.

Knowing what is on offer and how to access it could make the difference between someone staying at university or having to leave.

I think HappySad's idea of a list of moneysaving options for mentally ill people is a very good idea. My Husband has Bipolar and I had no idea a mentally ill person could get a carers card.

As someone who lives with a Bipolar sufferer I would like a list of supportive organisations for carers and the families of mentally ill people. Seeing his father very ill and then in hospital for a month was one of a long string of events that contributed to my son's illness. It would have been a help if there had been some kind of support group that my kids could have accessed while their dad was ill. At no time did anyone ask my three teenagers if they were alright, if anything the thought they might be bothered by it was just dismissed. A phone number my Mil could have rung for reassurance would have helped too. She nearly drove me potty with phone calls all the time wanting to be updated constantly and swinging from saying "oh it is nothing" to tearing her hair out." I ended up stressed which in turn stresses the children.

I am sure these things must exist but when you are in the middle of sorting out a crisis with a relative, a list would be very useful.

Maat

I've not had time to read every post so apologies if this has already been mentioned, but please could we have some advice on what help is available to single people. Every time Welfare Rights or MIND or even MSE say 'try this agency for grants/advice/help' I look it up and find I'm not entitled to anything as I'm under 60 and have no children. Specific advice for single, childless people as to where they can go for grants, debt help and so on would be most welcome.

Thanks for reading this. Such a guide would be invaluable, it's greatly appreciated.

pocketshell

This is an excellent thread and so badly needed. I have suffered from bipolar for many years now and although I dont have the symptom af spending money on bad days, I do find dealing with stressful situations excruciating. My current situation regarding debt is dire. I had to retire early due to my illness and support just dwindles away so quickly. people do not understand mental illlness, if your leg is broken it can be seen and the sympathy is there, if your mind is broken you are treated like an imbecile through ignorance. I dont know how I will solve my debt problems although I have had good advice form forum members. I started my own business because I have had such huge problems becoming employed again, stigmatised. Now my business is failing due to the effects of the recession and I have to deal with the huge problems this will entail. frightening and there is no support. I believe I wont cope with this and will face bankruptcy soon.

middleoftether

I'm in the middle of trying to help 2 close friends - who both have mental health problems - with housing issues in 2 different Council areas. It's come to my (horrified) attention that 'Priority Need' in homelessness legislation is not given to people suffering from depression. Yesterday a very young Housing Advisor looked me in the eye as she said that someone with depression isn't considered to be at a disadvantage, compared with another person who ISN'T depressive, if they were living on the streets. (This 'living on the streets' phrase is bandied about by housing officials after a test case in court). Nor is someone with Bi-Polar disorder - "it depends on how it affects them". She - and I'm sure she's not alone - clearly had no knowledge of what a mental illness is or how it affects people. She did say though, that someone who is blind "would clearly be in Priority Need".
After discussing the other person's case with a housing official in another Local Authority, I was told "Well, everyone thinks they're in priority Needs, don't they?" Had she heard anything at all that I'd been telling her about how his condition (Bi-Polar) affects him? Yes, she had, but felt that he wouldn't be at a disadvantage if 'living on the streets'.
Fulfilling the 'Priority Need' criteria means a Local Authority has a duty to re-house the person, as long as they haven't made themselves intentionally homeless and they are at risk of losing their home, or are already homeless.
My question is - how can it be right or just that a person with depression or Bi-Polar Disorder can be said not to be at a disadvantage if living on the streets? I find this incredible and am amazed that this is how the legislation is being put into practice. Can anybody give me some hope here? Are the Mental Health charities campaigning against this clearly discriminatory legislation?:eek: I'm at a loss.......

BipolarBear

Hi, I work for Bipolar Scotland, a small charity north of the border. I also have bipolar disorder. Questions we often encounter are not only about benefits but also all types of insurance, holiday, car, life etc. Particularly when someone has a restricted driving licence. Insurance can be so costly for people with bipolar disorder and I am sure other mental health problems so advice on how to find cheap insurance would be welcome.

Often we find that information produced does not take into account differences in Scotland so if you could factor this into your guide we'd be very grateful.

As people are often on low incomes, even when in work, advice about benefits and assistance people can get both in and out of work would be welcome, eg. DLA, working tax credits and housing and council tax benefit.

As a new user, I'm not allowed to post the link, but you can Google bipolar scotland if you'd like to visit us. We'd be happy to be involved in the guide and it's promotion.

Good luck with your guide. :T

ash4becks

middleoftether wrote: »

I'm in the middle of trying to help 2 close friends - who both have mental health problems - with housing issues in 2 different Council areas. It's come to my (horrified) attention that 'Priority Need' in homelessness legislation is not given to people suffering from depression. Yesterday a very young Housing Advisor looked me in the eye as she said that someone with depression isn't considered to be at a disadvantage, compared with another person who ISN'T depressive, if they were living on the streets. (This 'living on the streets' phrase is bandied about by housing officials after a test case in court). Nor is someone with Bi-Polar disorder - "it depends on how it affects them". She - and I'm sure she's not alone - clearly had no knowledge of what a mental illness is or how it affects people. She did say though, that someone who is blind "would clearly be in Priority Need".
After discussing the other person's case with a housing official in another Local Authority, I was told "Well, everyone thinks they're in priority Needs, don't they?" Had she heard anything at all that I'd been telling her about how his condition (Bi-Polar) affects him? Yes, she had, but felt that he wouldn't be at a disadvantage if 'living on the streets'.
Fulfilling the 'Priority Need' criteria means a Local Authority has a duty to re-house the person, as long as they haven't made themselves intentionally homeless and they are at risk of losing their home, or are already homeless.
My question is - how can it be right or just that a person with depression or Bi-Polar Disorder can be said not to be at a disadvantage if living on the streets? I find this incredible and am amazed that this is how the legislation is being put into practice. Can anybody give me some hope here? Are the Mental Health charities campaigning against this clearly discriminatory legislation?:eek: I'm at a loss.......

try shelter they were good at giving me advice , and all letters should be care of , mate of mine was kicked out of her mum again not nice person i was in rented on housing benift she was on my sofa there then classed as homeless and because there in care of and as i was claiming housing benifit for just me and she wasnt supposted to be staying there as i was geting housing benift and couldnt afford to keep her and she was 'at risk of being kicked out ' she was 19 at the time with no conditions keep the faith x

kittenki

Two things that apply for me, travel insurance and car insurance.

I was diagnosed with bi-polar affective disorder last year and was not able to go on the holiday I booked as I was in hospital. The travel insurance company wriggled out of it despite getting a solicitor to look into it for me, it would be great to have advice for others who might fall into the same situation I did.

Now a year later I have saved and am ready to try going on holiday again, many travel insurance companies simply would not insure me, I think Free Spirit were one of the best companies though still at over £600!

I have decided to go without insuring myself for the pre existing condition, and as there is a build up and so I know as I am becoming ill, if worst comes to the worst we shall change the names on the tickets (very cheap) and send his parents.

Final point is Car insurance, as I had to notify the DVLA and will probably end up with a restricted license be good to know how this will affect my Car insurance?


Keep up the good work

pennyforthem

Why when my company pension clearly states that if you leave because of your health have I not been able to remove these people out of my life and cash in my pension !?

Why when I was repeatedly talked into returning to a course which I was barely even attending and I was told that if I was not going to take any further education that the student loans would be wiped clean why then has this not been done and why do I have to live with the reminder of what happened there !?

Do you have to disclose to insurance companies, banks, if you want to buy a gun or anyone else if you are autistic ? And are there any implications to this !?(is it perceived as something bad by anyone eg seen as a financial risk)