Money and mental health

Poor mental health can make earning and managing money harder. And worrying about money can make your mental health worse. It can start to feel like a vicious cycle. Here, you can find out more about organising your finances, claiming benefits when you have a mental health problem, dealing with services, and looking after your mental health when you’re worried about money.

This page is also available in Welsh.

The link between money and mental health

Worries about money can have an impact on your mental health. And your mental health can affect how you manage your money. Learn more about how the two affect each other, and get tips for getting to know your money and mood patterns.

Graphic showing vicious circle, that poor mental health can make managing money harder, which can make your mental health worse.

Organising your finances

Find out how to manage your money when you’re unwell, including what to do if you can’t afford bills or food, and how to plan ahead.

Get tips on managing your money

Claiming benefits

You might be able to claim benefits if you have a mental health problem. Find out what you could claim, and the steps involved in claiming.

Learn about claiming benefits

Dealing with services

Find out how to tell services you have a mental health problem, and get tips for managing phone calls, appointments and opening letters.

Get tips for speaking to services

Getting support

It can feel hard to talk about money problems. But if you need professional money advice, or support with your mental health, there is help available.

Find out where to get support

"When I find myself getting into debt problems, my mental health deteriorates, which means I am more likely to go on another spending spree and make debt problems worse. It all goes round in a vicious cycle."

This information was published in August 2021. We will revise it in 2024.

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