Rachel Braverman, Research Officer, Money and Mental Health
Fear and foul play – The case for bailiff reform to limit psychological harm
Updated: May 2018
*Content note* This policy note contains information about bailiff action that some might find distressing.
The experience of being in debt, and particularly of being contacted by bailiffs, can cause and prolong periods of poor mental health. Despite clear evidence of harm, and the promise of the 2014 bailiff reforms, evidence suggests that little progress has been made. We make the case for fundamental bailiff reform, both to protect ‘vulnerable’ customers living with mental health problems, and to reduce the mental health problems created by the collections industry itself.