October 2021 Update
Welcome to the second edition of the Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Suicide Prevention newsletter keeping you informed about the suicide prevention work underway, up-to-date with the latest information on events, training and resources.
Our next newsletter will be in January 2022, if you would like to share any updates on work you are undertaking relating to suicide prevention or contribute an article or resources please get in touch by emailing suicide_prevention@bathnes.gov.uk
Disclaimer: If you find any of this content upsetting or distressing please call Samaritans 116 123 for free or talk to a professional or a person you trust.
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In this newsletter:
- Spotlight Article on Problem Debt and its Tragic Consequences and insight from a real - life experience by Douglas Eason
- Support for Financial Wellbeing
- Latest News
- Tools
- Key Dates
- Partners News
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Suicide Prevention Virtual Stakeholder Event 6th October
The October event was an important opportunity to bring all stakeholders together for the first time in 18 months. The event was open and closed by Cllr Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture and chaired by Kate Morton, Chief Executive of Bath Mind. The packed agenda included insights from young people, presentations on engaging with schools, research update, financial wellbeing and a suicide safety planning masterclass. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the morning and contributed.
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Problem debt and its tragic consequences
by Douglas Eason, Citizens Advice B&NES
Citizens Advice – B&NES, is seeing the beginnings of a debt ordeal for residents, which may last for years and have serious mental wellbeing consequences for hundreds if not thousands of people across the region. In the first 3 months of 2021, we received 19% more clients with debt problems than in the same pre-Covid-19 period in 2020. Problem debt is a situation where a person cannot make payments which suggests many residents are struggling financially. Also worrying is that comparing the last 6 months to the same period in 2019, the average number of debt issues people are juggling when they come to us for help has grown. In two wards the average has gone from 2 debt issues per client to 5 or 6. This is especially important when considering the mental wellbeing impact financial problems can cause.
Take a moment and think about this...
In 2020 the Government increased the standard allowance in Universal Credit and the basic element in Working Tax Credit by £20 per week on top of planned annual uprating. Right now, Universal Credit income for someone over 25 is £94.96 per week. You may already be feeling “There's no way I could live on that”. Now subtract basic costs of water, food, electricity, gas, council tax, a mobile phone, a TV license and an allocation of £4.80 per week for clothing and you’re left with £22.23 at the end of the week. You might think “That’s ok. £20 is a few drinks in the pub.”, but consider how you’d feel if the government intended to take away £20 of that £22.23 from October onwards. Imagine you needed a few extra things like a haircut, a new mattress to sleep on or just wanted an internet connection so you could manage your bank account. You probably wouldn’t be feeling too good about the future, would you?
What makes things harder is that debt can create feelings of shame and cause people to not reach out for help. This shame can be amplified by societal views that falling into debt is the fault of the individual. These views are unhelpful and often wrong as debt is commonly caused by unforeseen changes in circumstances, such as a reduction in hours at work, a funeral, a divorce or illnesses that stop you from being able to work. These assumptions also fail to consider that our society has built an infrastructure where those who can’t afford things like transport or internet quickly fall behind.
What does the research say?
A 2013 study by Anandi Mani et al, revealed that worrying about financial problems puts people into the same cognitive state as if they had gone for a night without sleeping, comparable to dropping 13 IQ points. This shows how experiencing poverty makes it harder to manage finances or take the steps to lift yourself out of poverty. Consequentially, a person who is already in poverty could be expected to experience a worsening financial situation that then causes worse mental health problems and the two will feed off each other in a vicious spiral. A 2018 Money and Mental Health Policy Institute report suggests that every year, this causes 13% of people with problem debt to consider suicide and over 100,000 people in the UK to try and take their own lives due to debt. Put this with the financial impact of Covid-19 and we may be looking at a serious crisis if steps aren’t taken immediately.
What's next?
- Throughout the pandemic, Citizens Advice has been preparing to help clients with financial problems. With funding from the St John’s and Wessex Water Foundations, we established a specialist debt team and we have also renewed our partnership with Bath Mind to help their clients with benefits issues.
- Citizens Advice is urging the Government not to remove the £20 uplift as the consequences could be catastrophic for thousands of people across the country.
- Promotion of the Breathing Space scheme. This scheme allows people to request a pause on debt recovery, during which creditors cannot add interest or charges to a debt or contact debtors to request payment and must pause any legal action.
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Ava’s experience
Ava required EMDR therapy, to help her with complex PTSD. However, circumstances are different for every mental health patient and the 12-week funded course of therapy offered by the NHS wasn’t enough. So, Ava was stuck trying to self-fund continued therapy and also pay her rent. She tried to carry on working, but her health was deteriorating, and the state of her mental health often left her bed-bound. Financial problems quickly escalated, and she started medicating with alcohol.
Ava reached a new low point when her claim for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) was refused, scoring her zero on the scale for PIP eligibility. The feeling of hopelessness with her situation and possibly losing her home caused her to start having suicidal thoughts.
Thankfully, on recommendation from her therapist, Ava reached out to Bath Mind and was put in contact with our mental health benefits specialist, Polly. Polly wrote her a mandatory PIP reconsideration and included evidence from health professionals. The reconsideration was successful, and Ava was awarded the enhanced rate of both the daily living and mobility PIP components, receiving a backdated payment of £2,690 and ongoing weekly payments of £152.15 for 3 years.
Ava said: “I am now feeling hopeful and on the road of recovery as I now can have regular EMDR therapy sessions and am not worried about losing my home. I really appreciate Polly's help, thank you.”
Image: Centre for Ageing Better
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Signposting information for financial wellbeing
Looking after your financial health
- Money Health and Money Advice is the first UK-wide online advice service designed to help you understand, manage and improve your financial and mental health.
- MoneyHelper brings together the support and services of three Government-backed financial guidance providers: the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise. If you have money worries, you can receive free impartial money guidance:
- Telephone: 0800 138 7777 (Available Monday - Fridays 8am - 6pm and Saturdays, 8am - 3pm)
- Whatsapp:+44 7701 342744
- Money Helper's Couch to Financial Fitness - free and flexible nine-week plan will help you build your confidence to manage your money.
- Clean Slate is a non-for-profit Community Interest Company aiming to to do everything possible to enable people to improve their financial wellbeing
- Telephone: 01225 302200
- Email: bath@cleanslateltd.co.uk
- Make a referral
- Money Health-Check - By completing the Future-Proof Finance Quiz which will ask questions about our financial habits, attitudes and need. Once complete, the next steps will be sent through to you.
- 3B's Money Skills Training - money advice programme for low income households. Everyone is welcome to take part in a one day workshop and access the one-to-one support on offer from people who know what it's like to live on a budget.
- Quids In - launched in 2008 the magazine contains easy-to-follow news and advice about money matters. Sign up to the The Quids In Readers Club a money advice email service.
Help to manage debt
- National Debt Line - gives free and independent debt advice over the phone and online.
- Telephone: 0800 808 4000
- Online advice tool
- Webchat (available Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm and Saturday 9:30am - 1pm)
- Step Change - the UK's leading debt charity to get expert debt advice and fee-free debt management to help you tackle your debts.
- Telephone: 0800 138 1111
- Webchat: (Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm)
- 60-second debt test: https://www.stepchange.org/debt-test.aspx
- Breathing Space - is a scheme that gives people temporary protection from most types of debt collection whilst they take action to get on top of their debts. You can only apply for 60 days Breathing Space through a debt advisor.
Short- term crisis support
- The B&NES Welfare Support Scheme - provides B&NES residents with short-term, emergency help with living costs. Cash or loans cannot be provided but vouchers or help to buy essential items can be offered.
- St John's Foundation Crisis Fund - provides funding support to individuals and families in B&NES who are financially struggling. Funding is available for beds, white goods, furniture, carpets, counselling, debt support and basic employment skills and training. There is lots of information of additional funding opportunities on their website.
Sources of help
- Central Government Covid - 19 work and financial support information
- Great Western Credit Union - Credit unions are financial co-operatives owned and controlled by their members. The GWR Credit Union (formerly known as Bristol Credit Union) provides fair and affordable financial services to people living or working in the South West.
- West of England Combined Authority (WECA) & Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub
- Stop Loan Sharks - The England Illegal Money Lending Team investigates and prosecutes illegal money lenders and provides support for borrowers in the UK.
- Barclays Money Mentors - provides free, confidential and practical impartial guidance to anyone from budgeting, future planning and financial queries. Choose between a phone or video call and sessions usually last 45 minutes. You don't need to be a Barclays customer to access this service they are open to anyone.
- Healthy Start Vouchers - for those pregnant or have children under the age of 4 years get free vouchers or payments every 4 weeks to spend on milk, fruit and vegetables, infant formula milk, pulses and vitamins. Vouchers can be spent at various retail outlets.
- Free schools meals - free for all state school pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils but also for families living on a low income and claiming certain benefits, your child may be able to get a free lunch until 2023.
- Tesco Mobile and Crisis Partnership
Tesco Mobile and Crisis have announced the start of an ambitious two-year partnership aiming to help thousands of people experiencing homelessness across Britain to reconnect with society. Tesco Mobile are running a scheme aimed at those who are in vulnerable and disadvantaged circumstances. A phone is supplied with 3 months credit to the user. To register interest and sign-up someone up to the scheme you send an email tescomobile.littlehelps@tesco.com with the subject title "Tesco Mobile Reconnects" and note what benefits to service user joining the scheme would bring and what device is needed and they will send one out. The scheme is running 2023. For more information, see here. You can also donate any old smartphones in good working condition by completing this form.
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Local News Update
More resources added to the B&NES Suicide Prevention Webpage
Find out more about the B&NES action plan and where you can access suicide prevention and bereavement resources, support, and training (including free online training) all in one place. Visit here to take a look.
B&NES Guidance for Educational Settings 2021
The guidance for educational settings brings together existing resources and support available to educational settings following a suicide or suspected suicide. The resource looks at support available locally, support in the event of a death by suicide, or a death where suicide is suspected and prevention messages and resources. The resource is mainly designed for schools but can apply to Colleges and Early Years Settings. The resource can be accessed from The Hub or here. Thanks to Clare Laker and partners for the all of their hard work and contributions to this fantastic resource.
Free support for staff supporting pupils with mental health issues
A confidential telephone helpline has been set up with Education Psychology Service. This offer is available and free to all school and college staff including teaching and support staff. During the hour slot any issue regarding the mental health and wellbeing of a pupil, member of staff or yourself can be discussed. The psychologists service will give hints, tips and guidance to helpful resources. To book a session when appropriate email: psychology_service@bathnes.gov.uk or visit the Hub.
Opportunity to Share Your Views on Mental Health Services
Response is working on behalf of AWP and B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire CCG to complete a project identifying opportunities to improve mental health support services and support the work around hospital admission avoidance and facilitating early discharge. Please complete the short survey if you are over the age of 16 years and have experience of mental health support services in BSW, a member of staff working in or with these services, a carer, friend, family member or supporter of someone who has used mental health support services. Please click here to give your feedback.
How to talk about suicide booklet
Bristol, North Somerset and Gloucestershire CCG have developed and shared a new guidance booklet on "How to talk about suicide?" The booklet contains a useful do's and don't list of how to talk about suicide when referencing words or phrases.
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The Beside Project is the new suicide bereavement support service in Bath and North East Somerset delivered by Second Step. The service provides emotional and practical support to people aged 16 or over, whether you a family member, next of kin or a loved. Contact is made 72 hours after the referral has been made. To find out more:
- Phone: 0117 909 6630
- Email: beside.project@nhs.net
- Visit the website
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National News Update
Office of National Statistics (ONS) New Data Looking at Suicide Deaths
The ONS has published new data looking at suicide deaths that occurred in the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic (April - July 2020). 1,603 suicides occurred between April and July 2020 in England and Wales (9.2 deaths per 100,000 people). This rate is statistically significantly lower than the same period in the previous years. Read more...
New Every Mind Matters campaign
New Every Mind Matters campaign to improve the population's mental health and wellbeing launched by the new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. Learn more....
New Bereavement Support Core Standards
The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) outlines a commitment to put in place suicide bereavement support in every area of the country by 2023/24. The Support After Suicide Partnership has developed a set of Core Standards which will aim to offer assurance that services delivering postvention support to people bereaved or affected by suicide, are delivering high quality services, achieving consistency and supporting their staff to provide support to those bereaved or affected by suicide. A Self-assessment and Local Action Plan template is available to allow services to use the core standards to measure themselves, identify priority areas and develop individual local action plans. Read more about the standards and how they can be used here....
Mandatory annual mental health training launched across the Armed Forces
New Annual Mental Health Fitness Brief programme has launched across the UK Armed Forces on World Mental Health Day. The programme will require all Armed Forces personnel to receive a mandatory mental health briefing available from 11th October 2021. Read more...
OPCOURAGE: Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service
OP COURAGE is an NHS mental health specialist service designed to help serving personnel due to leave the military, reservists, armed forces veterans and their families. Read more...
YANA - Rural Mental Health Support
YANA is for anyone involved with farming or rural business who may be feeling low or are worried about their family, a colleague or a friend. Call 0300 323 0400 for confidential support or email helpline@yanahelp.org or visit their website.
Pilots Together
PilotsTogether is a charity established by current pilots and their supporters. Their goal is to ensure that former UK-employed professionals pilots remain a part of the pilot community, overcome financial hardship, retain the skills they have, help with wellbeing and ultimately find new employment.
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Nurseline is a national helpline supporting nurses, midwives, healthcare support workers, students associates and the friends and family of staff. The service doesn't provide advice, counselling or discuss professional issues, but provides a free, confidential, UK -wide and peer led listening service with people who understand and get it.
- Phone: 0808 801 0455 ( available from Mondays - Fridays, 7pm - 11pm)
- Visit the website
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Gambling related-harm resources
Gambling - related harms: evidence review
On 30th September Public Health England launched their findings looking at the prevalence, risk factors and public health harms associated with gambling and the economic and social burden. "Two quantitative studies reported that deaths from suicide were significantly higher among adults with gambling disorder or problems compared to the general adult population." Read the executive summary here...
Young Gamblers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM)
YGAM is a charity with the social purpose to inform, educate, safeguard young people against gambling and gambling harms. They are running FREE 90 introductory workshops for teachers and youth workers. Following attendance, you will be invited to attend 60 minutes follow-up workshop and have access to 450 free resources. Read more...
RSPH Understanding and responding to gambling harms: A brief guide for professionals.
From this FREE 3 hour online course you will learn about gambling disorders and how to support someone affected by gambling harms. The course is for any professionals and most suited to those working in health and social care settings and criminal justice settings. Read more.
Samaritans Best Practice Guidelines for the Gambling Industry
Launched in April 2021, Samaritans published its first best practice guidelines for the gambling industry to help gambling businesses understand and adopt practical steps to prevent gambling - related suicide. Samaritans and GamCare are also joining up to develop a bespoke training package, view here.
GambleAware GB Maps
Using data collected as part of the Annual Great Britain Treatment and Support Survey, GambleAware has worked with Dr Justin van Dijk from University College London to produce three maps of Great Britain showing the prevalence of problem gambling severity in each local authority and ward area, as well as usage of and reported demand for treatment and support for gambling harms. To see the maps, view here...
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Tools
R;pple
R;pple is an online suicide prevention tool, it discretely monitors harmful content/internet searches and replaces it in the first instance with a message of hope and range of mental health support channels for users in crisis to utilise. Click here for the links to the toolkit.
Young People in Crisis Tools
Health Education England in partnership with Healthy Teen Mind, young advisors and professionals have developed a series of "bitesize" online resources and guides to help professionals when addressing young people in a crisis.
- What we need you to know? - outlines key challenges and strategies that individuals need to know before they begin their interaction with a young person in crisis.
- How to start the conversation. – features practical tips to help set up for success and build trust when supporting a young person in-person, over the phone or online.
- So you want to talk about risk? – explores the risk conversation from a young person’s perspective, including how to get the conversation back on track when things go wrong and practical approaches.
- How to wrap things up. – covers key tips and strategies to help end a conversation in a collaborative way that feels safe for everyone.
The Suicide Reporting Toolkit
This toolkit for journalists, journalism educators and communication teams has information on how to report on suicides responsibly, sensitivity and with compassion. For more information on the toolkit and resources, visit here.
Samaritans Online Harms Webinar and Specialist Service
At the start of July Samaritans hosted an informative online webinar on online harms, if you missed the webinar or would like to watch again or share with colleagues, watch here. Samaritans have launched an online harms advisory service for professionals and volunteers, providing free and confidential specialist advice or issues relating to self-harm and suicide content online. To get in contact:
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Key Dates
NOVEMBER 2021
- 1st November - Maytrees Respite Clinic: Level 1 Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training. For more information. We highly recommend this free training.
- 8th November - Maytrees Respite Clinic: Level 2 Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training. For more information.
- 12th November - Maytrees Virtual Open Day (for professionals) - Maytrees are a national suicide prevention charity that offer a one-off, short-term residential stay at non-medical respite centre for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings. Visit here.
- 17th November - "What's going on?" An event organised by Cares and Services Users to enable people affected by mental health issues to meet and have useful discussions with commissioners and providers of mental health services in B&NES. Visit here.
- 17th/18th/24th/26th November - Bath Mind Mental Health First Aider Courses, visit here.
DECEMBER 2021
- 3rd December - Suicide Bereavement and Language. This module delivered by Suicide Bereavement UK focuses on developing knowledge and skills to enable you to have a conversation with adults impacted by suicide. Register for place here.
- 6th December - Talking with Children and Young People When There Has Been a Suicide. This module delivered by Suicide Bereavement UK will develop your understanding of what language is helpful in conversations with children and young people bereaved by suicide. Register for a place here.
- 14th December - Children & Young People Suicide and Self Harm training. This evidence-based CPD accredited online training delivered by Harmless will learn about self- harm and suicide in the context of children and young people - how we can help, and what are the brief interventions. Register for a place here.
JANUARY 2022
- 12th January - St Elizabeth Hospice Compassionate Conversations. The confidence building session supporting open, honest and sensitive conversations around end of life, loss and bereavement. Multiple dates available. Register for a place here.
- 28th January - Applying the "Grief Map" Model to Support People Bereaved by Suicide. This module delivered by Suicide Bereavement UK explains how to implement the Grief Map using practice-based examples from a clinician experienced in using it. Register for a place here.
For more free community courses visit The B&NES Wellbeing College here.
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Partners News
- Bath Mind - click here to see the latest news and upcoming events.
- Bath Samaritans - click here to keep up-to-date with news about our services, programmes and events.
- 3GS - click here to find out the latest news from the voluntary and community sector.
- Public Health - click here to stay-up-to-date with the latest news and information.
- Alcohol Change UK - click here to get information and materials for Alcohol Awareness Week (15th - 21st November)
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