According to The Money Charity, the average UK household debt in July 2022 was over £65,000, including secured debts like mortgages, along with unsecured debts such as credit cards. Since then, we’ve seen four different Chancellors, a ‘Mini-Budget’ and a major U-turn on some of those measures. All the while, cost of living increases from food shops to forecourts are still impacting us all.  On top of this, everyday life events can impact our finances. You may be out of work, about to retire, or going through a divorce, all of which can take their toll both financially and from a mental health perspective. So, what effect do circumstances like these have on us, and what can we do if we find ourselves in debt? On this month’s episode, we hear listeners’ stories about their own debt struggles. Philippa Lamb is joined by Research Officer at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute; Chris Lees, plus COO of PensionBee and Mental Health First Aider; Tess Nicholson to discuss these scenarios and talk about coping strategies. We also hear thoughts from Personal Finance Expert, Founder of Mrs Mummypenny, Author of 'The Money Guide to Transform Your Life and PensionBee customer'; Lynn Beattie on her own personal experiences of credit card debt. Topics covered: The causes of debt The effects of debt on your mental health  The help available if you’re struggling financially Listeners’ debt stories Lynn Beattie’s personal debt recovery story If you’re struggling with your mental health because of concerns about debt or anything else and need to talk to someone, call SAMARITANS on 116 123 - they are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can also text the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 and speak to a volunteer, anonymously.  If you’re concerned for the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, then always call 999. For non-emergencies, call 111, or speak to your GP who can refer you to your local NHS Mental Health Trust.  For more information on the issues raised in this episode, follow these useful links from the PensionBee website:  https://www.pensionbee.com/podcast  https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2022/september/six-ways-to-manage-your-money-and-mental-health https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2020/june/debt-and-mental-health https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2021/february/how-to-talk-about-money https://www.pensionbee.com/pension-academy-videos/what-happens-in-special-circumstances https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2022/october/the-effects-of-debt-and-how-to-break-the-cycle  https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2019/july/15-credit-card-tips https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2021/october/introducing-mental-health-first-aiders https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2021/october/recovering-mental-health-and-recovering-finances https://www.pensionbee.com/blog/2017/may/4-reasons-why-sorting-your-pension-is-important-for-your-health https://youtu.be/8cty3vb4_08  Resources we mention in this episode, plus other useful links: https://nationaldebtline.org/  https://www.stepchange.org/  https://capuk.org/  https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ https://www.turn2us.org.uk/ https://www.mrsmummypenny.co.uk/mrs-mummypenny-talks/  https://www.muchmorewithless.co.uk/podcast-cost-of-living-crisis/ https://www.mrsmummypenny.co.uk/mrs-mummypenny-talks-debt-cost-of-living-s5-ep6-ad/  https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/  https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/financial-impact-rising-cost-living  https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/debt-help/  Join us next month, where we’ll discuss what a happy retirement can look like for you. As always, we’d love to hear your stories and feedback. You can send them to us by emailing [email protected]. We look forward to reading!