Michael's story

My story began years ago, but I fell ill eighteen months ago and began to over spend. I was in hospital for spells. Unbeknownst to me, my bank cancelled all of my direct debits, so not one bill went paid for practically three months.  However, my bank continued to accept credits on my account and my debit card kept working, and as my bank didn't inform me, I happily continued to spend! The crunch came and I had a severely depleted financial reserve and a high level of indebtedness.

Those who work with people with mental health problems need to be trained in the handling of money and welfare matters in order that they can adequately support ill patients to not get themselves into intractable debt. This is necessary as the commercial, financial and insurance sectors, and government agencies - including their sub-contractors - are not sensitive or educated as to the needs of mental health patients.

My care coordinator should have insisted that I visited home to check my post whilst in hospital and have taken issue with the bank. If this had happened I would also have discovered that my flat had been vandalised and burgled in time for me to have insisted that the bank honoured my home insurance policy. As it is, I exceeded a time limited period in residence which rendered my home insurance policy invalid - so I have to find several thousand to rectify the wreckage done to my flat whilst in hospital.

Three months later - and after receiving not even an apology from the bank - never mind compensation - my credit situation is under control but it's taken a great deal of severe budgeting and self discipline.