Samaritans Awareness Day: ‘The most valuable thing you can do is listen’

Money worries are about much more than numbers. Behind every missed payment, overdue bill or growing debt is often someone carrying a heavy emotional burden. Stress, anxiety, shame and isolation can make it incredibly difficult to ask for help, even when it's needed most.

At Money Wellness, our advisers speak to people facing these challenges every day. For many customers, it's the first time they've shared what they're going through.

That's why, since 2022, we've partnered with Samaritans to give our advisers specialist training to recognise vulnerability, navigate sensitive conversations with confidence and protect their own wellbeing.

Ahead of Samaritans Awareness Day on 24 July, we spoke to Susan Craft, relationship and delivery manager for Samaritans' Training & Engagement Programmes (STEP), about the connection between debt and mental health, the power of listening, and why early support matters.

Money problems can affect more than your finances

Financial difficulties can affect anyone. Redundancy, illness, reduced income, relationship breakdown or gambling can quickly lead to debt, and the emotional impact can be huge.

Rising cost-of-living pressures have only intensified these challenges. In recent years, Samaritans has seen an increase in calls from people experiencing financial hardship, highlighting the growing link between money worries and emotional distress.

Worrying about money can have a big impact on mental health, while poor mental health can make it harder to manage finances. Both financial hardship and poor mental health are recognised risk factors for suicide.

The impact is not felt equally. Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that people living in the most deprived 10% of areas of the country are more than twice as likely to die by suicide as those living in the least deprived 10%.

There is also a strong link between problem gambling, self-harm and mental health. Research from the University of Bristol found that, compared with people who experience no gambling harms, problem gamblers face triple the suicide risk one year later, rising to four times the risk after four years.

As Susan explains:

"Increasing cost-of-living pressures and worrying about money can affect our mental health. Poor mental health and financial hardship are both risk factors for suicide."

People under financial pressure may become withdrawn, tearful, anxious, irritable or angry, while others hide their struggles altogether. Recognising those signs early can make a big difference.

“Recognising vulnerability early is really important,” says Susan. “It creates an opportunity to respond with empathy, offer the right support at the right time, and help prevent someone from reaching crisis point. It means the person experiencing vulnerability feels listened to and can access support sooner, leading to more positive outcomes.”

The power of simply listening

When someone opens up about debt, it's natural to want to solve the problem. But, as Susan says, sometimes, the most valuable thing you can do is listen.

"You are there to support the person to the best possible outcome for their situation, but you should not personally take on the responsibility of their situation. You are there to listen, not problem solve."

Active listening helps people feel heard without judgement. It gives advisers a better understanding of someone's circumstances so they can offer the right practical support, whether that's debt advice, budgeting guidance or signposting to organisations like Samaritans.

"A supportive, non-judgemental conversation can help someone feel less alone. It can give them the confidence to talk more openly about what they're going through and take the first steps towards getting the support they need."

Supporting the people who support others

Supporting people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives can be emotionally demanding.

Our partnership with Samaritans began with specialist training to help advisers confidently support customers experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. Since then, the partnership has evolved to recognise that those providing support also need support themselves.

In 2023, the partnership expanded to focus not only on customers' wellbeing but also on the wellbeing of our advisers.

We worked with the Samaritans training and engagement programmes team to develop a bespoke course that supports both customer care and adviser wellbeing.

The training helps advisers:

• understand the link between emotional wellbeing and resilience
• recognise the signs of stress in themselves
• build healthy coping strategies
• prioritise self-care after difficult conversations
• strengthen their personal support networks

And the impact of the training has been invaluable for our advisers.

Confidence through preparation

For adviser Jim Kirkpatrick, who has been supporting our customers for almost two years, the Samaritans training has made a real difference to how he approaches difficult conversations.

"The most important part of the training is having a way to recognise and assess a vulnerable person's state," he says. "It has definitely made me more confident, not only to ask more directly when necessary if a client is at risk, but to feel prepared should a situation arise.”

That confidence can be invaluable. Having the skills to respond calmly and appropriately means advisers can focus on listening and supporting customers, even in highly emotional situations.

“The most valuable thing is the confidence you feel when you have a plan and know how to react when somebody mentions suicide,” Jim explains. “It means you can keep composed in what can be an intense and stressful situation. For customers especially they feel listened to and that reassurance that we are here to help can reduce stress all round.”

The training also reinforces the importance of looking after the people providing that support. Jim says one of the biggest lessons has been recognising when to pause after a difficult conversation.

“Self-awareness and self-care as a priority, after a stressful call or a stressful day taking a moment to stay present before going into another call or taking it home with you.”

By giving advisers practical techniques to support both customers and themselves, the training helps ensure they can continue providing compassionate, effective support every day.

Asking for help is a sign of strength

Shame can stop people from seeking support, even when they're struggling. But Susan wants anyone facing difficult times to know they're not alone.

"We all go through difficult times, and it can be easy to feel like we have to keep it to ourselves, but opening up and talking about how you're feeling can help take the weight off."

And that first conversation doesn't have to be a big one.

"Having that first conversation is often the first step to help. There are people who care about you and there is free support out there."

Help is always available

At Money Wellness, we're here to help you take control of your finances with free, confidential debt advice. If you're also struggling emotionally, we'll help you find the right support.

Samaritans is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, offering free, confidential emotional support to anyone who needs someone to listen. You can call 116 123 free from any phone, at any time.

Because no one should have to face money worries, or life's challenges, alone.