Martin Lewis’s charity working with banks to help support people at suicide risk

A project to help banks and building societies transform support for customers who may be feeling suicidal has been launched by Martin Lewis’s charity.The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute said it will support Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo and Nationwide Building Society to collaborate and explore new approaches, with the aim of learning what works and leading a change in support.The announcement was made on World Suicide Prevention Day.The charity said banks have a critical opportunity because of the insights they have into people’s finances. For example, banks can step in when customers may be experiencing debt problems or income drops.The “action lab” will use insights from people and from Money and Mental Health’s research, as well as from a steering group including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).Money and Mental Health will publish the outcomes of pilots in summer 2028.Mr Lewis, founder and chair of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said: “The link between mental health difficulties and debt is a marriage made in hell – they feed off and cause each other.“Long-term money worries grind people down, and aggressive debt collection practices can leave them feeling completely hopeless.“Banks didn’t cause all these problems, but they are in a unique central position in people’s financial lives, and we want to see if it’s possible to take advantage of that to be able to spot when customers are in trouble and urgently direct them to the right support.“So I’m delighted and thankful so many major banks have committed to working with Money and Mental Health on our new suicide prevention action lab.”Mr Lewis added: “We aim to get under the bonnet with banks to find the gaps, test new ways to identify and support people in crisis, and drive change not just with those who’ve signed up but right across the sector – and potentially save lives.”Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby said: “Financial worries and mental health challenges too often go hand in hand.“I have seen first-hand how the industry can make a real difference to people’s lives through concerted action and I am very hopeful that this excellent project will help us find new ways to support people before they reach crisis point.”Read MoreAlison McGovern, Minister of State for Mental Health, said: “The suicide prevention action lab has the potential to make a real difference in identifying and supporting vulnerable people who are at risk of suicide, and save many lives over the coming years.”The Samaritans charity, which offers support to people who are struggling, said earlier this week it wanted to let people know that suicidal thoughts “can be interrupted” by other people – and that rather than being concerned with saying “the perfect thing”, it is better just ask if someone is okay.