MSE News: Martin Lewis: Simple 'Share Once' service needed for people with mental health problems

MSE_Abby

People struggling with their mental health need a simpler way to tell banks, energy firms and other providers that they need support – with the majority currently missing out on extra help due to how daunting the existing process can be. That's according to new research from Martin Lewis and the charity he founded and chairs, the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI)…

Read the full story:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2026/03/martin-lewis-mmhpi-share-once-system/

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gillydoddy54

I have struggled with contacting my mortgage provider as they insisted that the only way they could speak to/verify me was with my account number…. So i didn't get the help that I needed.

More recently, I struggled to apply for ESA as a result of my poor mental health, but they couldn't/ wouldn't backdate it when I was able to communicate effectively with them. Very sad

Micherex

Please can this include support for those with a dementia diagnosis. Even with POA the struggles to get support for family members is constant and even when recorded as a point of contact companies, including GP's call the home to give details which is almost instantly forgotten.

J0nes

I have mental health issues resulting from PTSD. I have designated my wife to speak for me on the 'phone and at any meetings with banks, councils, doctors, official visitors and so on.

With one or two exceptions I am always having to shout my agreement from another room when my wife speaks with. Even when the relevant people have on their records that I cannot speak to them they do not register the fact before putting me through the stress of agreeing, yet again, that my wife speaks for me.

A proper and fully monitored "Share Once" service is urgently needed.

gothvixen

I have PTSD, depression, severe anxiety, agoraphobia and Asperger's. I have been having severe 'panic' attacks (a PTSD response) that require sedation for 18 years. My arms & legs shake uncontrollably until the medication kicks in, then I can't walk very well as my leg muscles feel so heavy - it's all about my brain shutting me down so I am supposedly protected from the stress.My voice cuts out when I feel stressed, so I can never speak on the phone. People assume I just don't want to, as it's beyond them to understand that I can actually feel something change in my throat and I then have no voice. I can't begin to imagine how many times I've had to try to explain this to people, and used to carry around a written message, but then they ask you questions anyway. Despite my medical history I've had a GP assume I wanted the sedatives as I was a heroin addict. I'm far too fat to ever be mistaken for one, and I used to teach physics in a private school and own a house on a prestigious road in my city. He crushed me, showing that people treat me as scum because I'm now unemployed and vulnerable. I'm currently distressed after the property manager's agent said they were coming to inspect the house where I've lived for over 3 years, and from now on it would be at least quarterly. It's always a fight, that leaves me emotionally destroyed and physically exhausted. It's lucky I can construct emails that show I am willing to fight for my rights, but life shouldn't be this difficult. Why would I ever want to leave the house, when people discriminate and gawp? I've been having an attack, that looks like a seizure, and slid off the chair more than once, leaving me lying on the floor until it stops and I can move myself away. A different gp once hauled me onto a wheeled chair then abandoned me in a corridor so she could see her next patient. I'm humiliated every time I have to deal with someone new. Most are kind, but some aren't. At one of a set of meetings I had to attend, someone once said I should stay outside until I'd finished my attacks as it upsets people around me. I used to have my Mum to make phone calls for me, then she got dementia, and died 2 years ago, so now I can only rely on my son, who is 28 and has his own busy life to lead. I'm also physically disabled by arthritis so have limited mobility. When someone asks and I say I have suicidal thoughts every day they seem shocked, but why wouldn't I?

teresa54

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81927960#Comment_81927960

That all sounds terrible, my heartfelt sympathies to you. Apart from the MSE subject at hand, I just have one suggestion which you may find useful - MIND have an advocacy service who could attend meetings and appointments with you should you request it, and if it is possible, but this depends on locality.

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/advocacy/finding-an-advocate/

Mr_Mann

In principle it sounds like a good idea but I think it should include councils for council tax purposes. Martin has done good work in getting council tax benefit or reduction for those with mental health issues but it doesn't go far enough. The reason those people might need help with paying council tax is if they're unable to work to earn money, but the same thing applies to people with physical disabilities too. If they can't work they can't earn. Whether it's mental or physical disability it's very stressful. They should get the same help. The current system of only those with mental health issues get help is unfair.

I also wonder if council tax benefit or reductions should be funded by central government rather then by increasing the council tax bills for everyone else.

retired_analyst

I worked in local government during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unprecedented times led to unprecedented levels of data sharing between government departments, public services and utility companies. To help identify those most likely to be in need in our communities, I was tasked with linking together a number of different local 'vulnerable customer' datasets, including those maintained by local utility companies. On the whole, the quality of the data was not good, and certainly not standardised in any way. From addressing mistakes it was evident that some systems were not validating addresses. The recording of names was also inconsistent. Linking it all together took a lot of manual data cleansing.

I wholeheartedly support the development of a 'tell us once' system for people living with physical and/or mental health conditions, but implementing such a system will be a significant challenge.

teresa54

"Simple 'Share Once' service needed for people with mental health problems"

I can see that this is going to be useful for some, BUT I am extremely wary of the dissemination of private and confidential medical details being made available in the public domain. I got caught up recently with a similar-sounding 'support' offer for banks, invitation via my Monzo app [not exclusive to them though]. Turned out it was Experian managing it [no idea of this given by Monzo in the invite] and I struggled for weeks to get myself out of it and still haven't received assurance my data has been erased, or a copy of it. I call that deceit. Medical data used to be between GP and patient and not shared by anyone else. No privacy these days - and that appals me. Soon though, it will be the norm. Anyone can access all your data, period. Banks, Insurance, Government… all could misuse it, not to mention hackers.