A forum working for greater and better communication, understanding and professionalism among organisations with an interest in personal credit and debt

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Recognising the increasing incidence of debt problems and mental health conditions and the way in which these can have a reciprocal impact, in September 2005 MALG set up a Working Party to investigate the issues.  

In February 2007, this was expanded to include three mental health organisations.  The Working Party was chaired by the Chief Executive of the Money Advice Trust.

The result of the Working Parties efforts was the MALG Good Practice Mental Health Guidelines, first published in November 2007 with a second edition published in the Autumn of 2009.  MALG is a non-policy making body and the Guidelines could not be imposed on either the advice or creditor sectors.  However, it was placed in the public arena with suitable publicity in the hope that industry trade organisations would adopt the Guidelines into their respective Codes of Practice.

In August 2008 the Debt & Mental Health Evidence Form (DMHEF), an integral part of the Guidelines was launched following further work undertaken between MALG, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and The Capital Partnership.  This evidence form can be used by healthcare professionals, debt advisers and creditors to more effectively evaluate debtor circumstances and arrive at informed decisions.

A number of important mental health and debt documents are available and can be viewed and downloaded by clicking HERE

Debt and Mental Health