New London projects launched to tackle money worries and mental health

A series of new projects are getting underway across London to help people struggling with the link between financial hardship and poor mental health.

The move is aimed at addressing the ‘increasingly evident’ correlation between financial stress and poor mental health.

The projects come as new data from Debt Free Advice reveals the scale of the debt problem in the capital. Between 2023 and 2025, the debt advice service alone supported nearly 24,500 Londoners, helping them to achieve over £36.5 million in financial gains.

The three new initiatives, commissioned by Thrive LDN, are funded by the Mayor of London. They aim to challenge the stigma of poverty and make it easier for people to find expert money guidance and advice. According to the Money and Pensions Service, 52% of people who receive debt advice report improvements in their mental wellbeing.

Speaking about the projects and investment, Dan Barrett, Thrive LDN director, said: “The reality is that budgets are tighter than ever, including those in work, and basics, such as rent, food and energy, still feel out of reach for many Londoners.

“We know that financial worries have a direct and profound impact on mental health. These projects are a coordinated effort to provide practical tools, challenge stigma, and ensure people know where to turn for help.”

The first initiative, led by Clean Slate Training and Employment, will be a regional campaign launching on 1 September. It aims to challenge the stigma associated with poverty, including in-work poverty, which Clean Slate addresses through its Quids in! information services.

The #TakeWhatsYours campaign has been designed with community partners in ten target boroughs, with user testing sessions involving more than 50 Londoners with lived experience of financial hardship. The organisation’s commitment to employing individuals with lived experience of poverty will support the campaign’s impact and reach.

Jeff Mitchell, managing director at Clean Slate, said: “It is important to show people that poverty is not a personal failure. Around fifty people experiencing hardship have been involved in a series of community conversations. They’ve told us how stigma stops people taking action on their money worries, their debt, and the resulting impact on their mental health. The #TakeWhatsYours campaign, designed with Londoners for Londoners, aims to dismantle that stigma.

“Quids in! has earned the trust of 150,000 low-income households each year, with whom we already share practical money tips. Money problems rarely exist in isolation – they affect housing, mental health, relationships, and every part of life. We want to leverage our reputation to help people feel able to ask for help, which is the first, most important step.”

The second project is a five-part online video series from CB Plus called ‘Money + You’, the series will explain how finances affect mental health. The series will be supported with a range of in-person community events and partner with other organisations, such as local food banks.

“We want to start a conversation,” said Fehintola Kolawole, director of health and care at CB Plus. “The ‘Money + You’ series is about giving people the language and confidence to talk about financial stress. The series will provide clear, simple steps to check your financial wellbeing and find support.”

The mini-series and campaign will also work with London’s business sector and employers to address the significant money stigma active in the workplace, to support conversations for organisations and employees on financial wellbeing.

Both initiatives are expected to be publicly launched in September 2025. Engagement workshops have already taken place across a number of boroughs in London.

The third project, with charity Resolve Poverty, will explore the feasibility of a Money Advice Referral Tools for London boroughs. The goal is to help professionals in health and education guide people to support more easily. This is critical as council tax and rent arrears are the most common debts people face, affecting around half of those seeking help (Debt Free Advice).

Graham Whitham, CEO of Resolve Poverty, explained the need for the tool: “Frontline workers see the impact of hardship every day. However, knowing how best to help people who are struggling financially can sometimes seem too complex an issue to address – especially if money guidance is not your organisation’s area of expertise.

“Our Money Advice Referral Tool (MART) is a financial support finder. It’s designed for any agency that works with people on low incomes, including GP surgeries, schools, hospitals, and local community groups, as well as people seeking financial support for themselves. We’re excited to explore how this may look for London and how it would give professionals the clarity they need to connect people to the right advice, quickly and effectively.”