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Bailiffs and Mental Health – All You Need To Know

Scott Nelson MoneyNerd Janine Marsh MoneyNerd
By
Scott
Scott Nelson MoneyNerd

Scott Nelson

Debt Expert

Scott Nelson is a renowned debt expert who supports people in debt with debt management and debt solution resources.

Learn more about Scott
&
Janine
Janine Marsh MoneyNerd

Janine Marsh

Financial Expert

Janine is a financial expert who supports individuals with debt management, cost-saving resources, and navigating parking tickets.

Learn more about Janine
· May 27th, 2024
Could you legally write off some debt? Answer below to get started.

Total amount of debt?

For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.

For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.

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Bailiffs and Mental Health

For free & impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options. This isn’t a full fact-find, some debt solutions may not be suitable in all circumstances, ongoing fees might apply & your credit rating may be affected.

When dealing with bailiffs, it’s normal to feel worried, especially if you have mental health issues. It’s important to know that rules are in place to protect you. This guide will help you understand these rules better.

Over 170,000 people come to our site each month, looking for information about their debt problems, and Citizens Advice estimate households have around £18.9 billion in unpaid bills like council tax and utilities1. You’re not alone, and we’re here to provide the support you need. We will cover:

  • What bailiffs can and cannot do when dealing with someone who has mental health problems.
  • How to notify enforcement agents about your mental health issues.
  • Understanding bailiff fees and how they can affect your debt.
  • Steps you can take if you believe a bailiff has not treated you fairly.
  • How to manage overwhelming debt and the possibility of getting some of it written off due to mental health.

Our team knows how hard it can be to deal with debt and bailiffs. We understand what you’re going through and can provide useful advice based on real-life experiences. So please read on, and start taking control of your situation today.

Could you legally write off some debt?

There are several debt solutions in the UK, choosing the right one for you could write off some of your unaffordable debt, but the wrong one may be expensive and drawn out.

Answer below to get started.

How much debt do you have?

This isn’t a full fact find. MoneyNerd doesn’t give advice. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options.

Debt and mental health are strongly linked. The Royal College of Psychiatrists state that 50% of all people in debt suffer some form of mental health problem.

And 25% of people with a mental health problem have debt. Financial stress can seriously impact your health and well-being.

This means that debt doesn’t just cause declining mental health, but mental health issues can cause debt too.

Some creditors cause these issues because of illegal practices; you should report their behaviours to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) when this happens to you.

The psychological effects of debt can be devastating enough without being harassed by bailiffs. StepChange found that over half of their respondents say dealing with bailiffs made paying off their debt more difficult. Many say that they had to take out more credit to pay the bailiffs2.

How a debt solution could help

Some debt solutions can:

  1. Stop nasty calls from creditors
  2. Freeze interest and charges
  3. Reduce your monthly payments

A few debt solutions can even result in writing off some of your debt.

Here’s an example:


Situation

Monthly income £2,504
Monthly expenses £2,345
Total debt £32,049

Monthly debt repayments

Before £587
After £158

£429 reduction in monthly payments

If you want to learn what debt solutions are available to you, click the button below to get started.

Get Started

How a vulnerable person must be treated

Bailiffs must follow other guidelines if they are recovering money from vulnerable people. The rules change regarding fees and what they can do.

Enforcement agents must abide by the Mental Health Act when contacting vulnerable debtors.

Not only this, but bailiffs must also take into account that their actions must not contravene The Equality Act.

Bailiff conduct with vulnerable individuals must follow the law. Plus, they must take into account the rights of vulnerable people with debt.

But first, who is classified as a vulnerable person?

You may be determined as a vulnerable person if you are either:

  • Pregnant
  • A single parent or have young children at home
  • Seriously ill
  • Disabled
  • Of elderly age (>64)
  • Of young age (<18)
  • Not fluent in English
  • Recently injured
  • Recently unemployed and now receiving DWP benefits 
  • Mourning the death of a loved one
  • And if you have mental health problems!

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

Beat their vulnerability letter

If you suffer from mental health problems, you should inform the enforcement agent company immediately.

Their contact details can be found on any letters you receive or on their web page. You may need to provide evidence, such as a doctor’s note. 

See this post that someone placed on a popular online forum.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Can you complain about them?

If the enforcement agents do not accept your evidence of a mental health illness, you can complain or ask Citizens Advice agents to communicate with them.

This has proved successful for vulnerable people in this situation. 

When you are deemed a vulnerable person, the bailiff must treat you differently

They cannot visit your home when you are alone, and they should give you additional time to search for solutions. 

By law, the enforcement agent must also make sure you receive debt advice before taking any action.

You can get this type of advice from a charity or Citizens Advice. And just as important, the bailiff cannot charge vulnerable people with certain fees, saving the debtor money.

In some circumstances, the bailiff is not able to recover debts from vulnerable people, and it will be passed back to the creditor

If they break any of the above legal practices, you can report them to the FCA. I recently shared some important rights you have with bailiffs in an interview with the Mirror. Here’s a quick table summarizing what bailiffs can and can’t do.

Bailiffs Can But They Can’t
Call and visit your home multiple times, any day of the week. Visit your workplace (if you are not self-employed)
Take items from your home. These items have to be considered ‘luxury’. Take essential items from your home. This includes beds, clothing, and work equipment.
Use ANPR technology and DVLA information to locate your car and take it. Enter your home without permission unless they have a warrant to force entry for a CCJ.
Peacefully enter your property. Harass or threaten you.
Issue notices to those who owe a debt. Take items that belong to someone else. However, they may be able to seize jointly owned property.
Offer to conduct a Virtual Controlled Goods Agreement (rather than in-person). This will typically be offered to vulnerable people. Sell goods they have seized at auction until seven clear days have passed.

Thousands have already tackled their debt

Every day our partners, The Debt Advice Service, help people find out whether they can lower their repayments and finally tackle or write off some of their debt.

Natasha

I’d recommend this firm to anyone struggling with debt – my mind has been put to rest, all is getting sorted.

Get started

Reviews shown are for The Debt Advice Service.

Can you get debt written off?

There are no laws to say a company or creditors must write off your personal debt if you have a long-term mental health problem.

In short, mental health and debt forgiveness are not written in stone.

However, in limited cases, the creditor may decide to write off smaller debts owed by vulnerable people. This will be at their discretion whether they provide debt relief due to mental health or not.

Nevertheless, you should still communicate your situation with the companies you owe money to or have someone do this on your behalf.

By explaining your present circumstances, they may offer a more affordable and appropriate repayment plan

To do this, you can download our letter templates; fill in a few details of the template that’s right for you – and pop it in the post. 

Could you legally write off some debt?

Answer below to get started.

How much debt do you have?

This isn’t a full fact find. MoneyNerd doesn’t give advice. We work with The Debt Advice Service who provide information about your options.

References

  1. Citizens Advice – Debt Statistics and Bailiff Issues
  2. StepChange – Creditor and Debt Collector Conduct
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The authors
Scott Nelson MoneyNerd
Author
Scott Nelson is a renowned debt expert who supports people in debt with debt management and debt solution resources.
Janine Marsh MoneyNerd
Debt Expert
Janine is a financial expert who supports individuals with debt management, cost-saving resources, and navigating parking tickets.