Millions of Vulnerable Brits Missing Out on Vital Benefits, Martin Lewis Charity Reveals
Nearly two-thirds of individuals grappling with both mental health challenges and financial difficulties remain unaware of the support services available to them, according to a stark new warning from Martin Lewis's charity. The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) has published a concerning report highlighting a severe postcode lottery in benefit claim assistance across the United Kingdom.
A System Failing the Most Vulnerable
The report details how millions of vulnerable people are missing out on what are described as "life saving" benefits, often worth thousands of pounds annually. This critical financial support, which individuals are legally entitled to receive, is going unclaimed due to overstretched and inconsistently provided services nationwide.
According to the latest figures from the research group Policy in Practice, an astonishing £24 billion in benefits goes unclaimed every year across the UK. The MMHPI's own survey paints a troubling picture of awareness and access among those who need help most.
Survey Reveals Alarming Lack of Awareness
The charity's research found that only one third of people with mental health problems and financial difficulty had accessed income maximisation support. This includes services such as welfare advisers and benefit calculators. This low uptake persists despite over half (52 per cent) of respondents reporting that they regularly run out of money to cover basic essentials.
Perhaps even more concerning is the finding that nearly three-quarters of survey respondents (72 per cent) stated they had no idea these support services even existed. This profound lack of awareness is preventing people from accessing crucial financial lifelines.
Inadequate Support for Complex Needs
Researchers emphasise that while online benefit calculators represent the most easily accessible form of support, they prove insufficient in 86 per cent of cases involving people with mental health issues. For these individuals, dedicated, personalised support from a welfare adviser is far more appropriate and effective.
The MMHPI estimates that approximately 3.4 million people in the UK who are dealing with concurrent mental health and debt problems could benefit significantly from proper income maximisation support if it were adequately and consistently provided.
Charity Chief Calls for Urgent Government Action
Helen Undy OBE, chief executive of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, issued a strong statement: "It's alarming that in the midst of a cost of living crisis, so many people with serious financial and mental health problems are missing out on this vital support to boost their income."
Undy continued, "The Prime Minister says that easing the cost of living is his main focus for this year, and ensuring that everyone who needs quality income maximisation support can access it should be a top priority in those efforts. People tell us that this support has been life saving... It is unacceptable that the way these services are funded means that many people miss out because the support they need isn't available in their areas."
The charity leader is urging the government to undertake fundamental reforms to what she describes as a "broken system". The MMHPI has called on ministers to commission a comprehensive review into nationwide income maximisation support, aiming to develop a coordinated national strategy for its provision.
Broader Context of a Struggling Advice Sector
This warning comes amidst growing concerns about the stability of advice services across the country. Other organisations have reported struggling with insecure funding and high levels of staff burnout, undermining their capacity to help.
Earlier this month, the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) launched a campaign to make the provision of social welfare advice a statutory duty for local authorities. This would legally require councils to ensure the continued availability of these critical services in their areas.
The combination of low public awareness, inconsistent service provision, and a strained advice sector creates a perfect storm, leaving some of the UK's most vulnerable citizens without the financial support they are entitled to and desperately need.
