Urgent need for additional support from financial services for neurodivergent people

Managing spending and debt is significantly more difficult for people living with neurodivergence, according to a landmark report released today. Almost all respondents (97%) said that being neurodivergent presents challenges when it comes to managing their debt.

Less than a third (32%) of people who sought debt advice disclosed that they were neurodivergent, but almost two in three (64%) did not seek help from their creditors at all. This lack of disclosure can make it harder for advisers to offer the right support, particularly for those with ADHD.

The study by debt charity StepChange and global credit reference agency Equifax finds that feelings of being overwhelmed (73%) and anxiety (72%) were among the top reasons people did not seek support from creditors, closely followed by a sense of stigma around debt (60%).

Aston spoke to Sue Owen-Bailey, head of ESG at Equifax UK.

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