Experiences of debt during the pandemic
Our research shows that during the pandemic, people with mental health problems were much more likely to be struggling with debts and payments.
For example, nearly three in ten people (28%) with mental health problems had debts between £2k and £20k during the pandemic.
People with mental health problems were more likely to fall behind on all kinds of payments during the pandemic. Nearly one in five people with mental health problems (18%) said they fell behind each of the following: council tax, water and energy bills.
The biggest reason people with mental health problems gave for why they had fallen behind on payments during the pandemic was difficulties managing money. Other key factors include incurring unexpected costs, and experiencing a drop in income from work.