How do we support our customers' mental health?

April is Stress Awareness Month in the UK and we want to take this opportunity to talk about stress and mental health.

We understand that if you have debt, it can cause you stress, which may have an impact on your mental health. That’s why we’re here to support you if you’re going through a hard time.

At Lowell, we take pride in putting our customers first and that includes supporting our customers who are having a hard time with their mental health. Our priorities are to help our customers to become debt-free, to help remove the stigma of debt by being open and honest about debt.

Below are just a few of the ways we work to support our customers with mental health issues and how we can help if you’re going through a hard time. 

We can help you to get independent support and debt advice

We’ll always make sure that you get the support you need. If you need help, we can suggest free, independent sources of advice. We’ll look at your situation and refer you to the right place, to make sure that the advice you receive suits you and your circumstances.

At Lowell, we care about our customers and about your mental health. It’s easy to say "don’t worry", but we believe that if you’re feeling down or stressed, reaching out for support is important, especially during Stress Awareness Month. That’s why we work with lots of organisations and charities that offer practical, free support and advice.

The Samaritans and Mind are two of the charities who can help. Mind is a mental health charity that offers information and advice to support with mental health issues. Samaritans are a service who offer a safe space for anyone to speak to at any time about anything when they're going through a difficult time. You can call the Samaritans for free at any time and speak to someone who'll listen and understand without judging or telling you what to do.

If you feel your mental health is being impacted by your financial situation, it might also be helpful for you to speak to a specialist debt charity like StepChange. Organisations like StepChange can give you advice on options for dealing with your situation and can manage your debt for you if you’re really struggling.

If you decide to work with a mental health organisation, or a specialist debt charity like StepChange, we’ll give you time to seek advice from them and, if you’d prefer, we can work with them directly on your behalf.

We can give you a break if you're having a tough time

We understand that you might need extra space and time to get yourself sorted. If your circumstances have changed and you’re worried about payments, get in touch with us and we can help you to find a solution. Our Next Steps page is a helpful guide to how we'll work with you depending on your situation.

One of the ways we help is by pausing payments if you’re unable to deal with your account right now. We know that difficult circumstances can have an impact on your mental health, and we want to help. No matter what the situation is, it’s always best to get in touch so we can help. For example, if your benefits have been delayed, if there’s an issue with your wages, or if you've been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic, let us know and we'll look at how we can help.

If we pause your payments, we’ll give you space and hold off contacting you. Once the pause is over, we’ll get in touch again to talk about the best way forward for you.

We can help by providing flexibility and support

If your circumstances change and your payment plan is no longer working for you, we can help by offering flexibility and support. Get in touch and we can help you to find a more suitable plan, change your payments, or look at how often you pay your plan. Knowing that there’s options and flexibility available could help to reduce stress and anxiety, which is what we want for our customers this Stress Awareness Month.

As long as you let us know what’s going on, we’ll work with you to continue helping you to settle your debt, so you don’t have to worry about any legal issues.

We're here when you need us

Our friendly and supportive team are here to help. They are trained to always be considerate of your situation and help you find the right support. You can get in touch via phone, through an enquiry form, or by post.

If you’re anxious about speaking to someone, you can manage your account online at any time. Our online portal is designed to be easy for you to use. You can make a payment, set up a payment plan, and get information about your account at a time that suits you.

If you’re facing a difficult time during Stress Awareness Month, or at any time, Lowell are on your side and we’re here to help you. If you have more questions about the support we offer, take a look at our guide to debt support. It might also help to take a look at our next steps to see how Lowell will work with you in different situations. Whatever the circumstances are, we'll give you the space and time you need whilst things are tough. For more guides on debt and support, check out the Lowell blog.

Published by Libby Davies 2nd April 2021