Financial Help For Bereavement

Maureen's story

David had been ill for a long time, but that didn't make it any easier for Maureen to cope when he passed away. She was struggling to come to terms with life on her own and was finding it hard to manage her money, and now her debts had built up beyond her means. Maureen felt ashamed, and didn't know where to turn.

Feeling overwhelmed by grief and worry, Maureen withdrew from her problems and stopped opening statements and letters. By this point, her situation was getting worse and she was:

• behind on two Council Tax payments
• overdue on repayments for a short-term loan with high interest
• over the agreed credit limit on her Barclaycard

How Barclaycard helped

Initially Maureen just wanted the letters and calls to stop. But eventually she knew she’d have to call Barclaycard and try to explain to them that she needed time. When she did, she got through to one of our support team,

• Janet gave Maureen time to explain things in her own words and wasn't judgemental or demanding, as Maureen had feared
• Together they created a plan for Maureen to make affordable payments, while Janet explained what information she needed and why, as well as how it would affect Maureen’s credit score and what could be done to help
• She checked that Maureen knew she could access her Barclaycard account online to make debit card payments, change payment due dates and, when she could afford to, set up a Direct Debit  – and that confidential and independent advice was available with StepChange Debt Charity

Maureen had been feeling completely overwhelmed when she picked up the phone, but talking to Janet really helped. She felt there was hope in resolving the situation, and having someone to explain things to her made all the difference.

Does your story sound like Maureen's?

The loss of a loved one can turn your world upside down, and it can be difficult even imagining what to do without them. Financial concerns can make a difficult time feel impossible to deal with, but you don’t have to try to cope on your own.

You're not alone - we're here to help

We know your debts aren't going to disappear on their own, but we really can help. If you get in touch, we'll ask you about your income and outgoings so you can feel confident you're only repaying what you can really afford. And your priority payments – Council Tax, rent/mortgage repayments and household bills – will always come first.

It's probably the last thing you want to do, but giving us a call won’t make anything worse. We won't spring any surprises on you; our advisers are here to listen, understand and agree a solution with you – not demand payments you can’t afford.

You can rest assured, we’ll ask your permission before we do anything and check how you feel about your other finances.

We'll try to provide you with help that’s clear, practical and easy to understand. Also, we'll advise you where to find free and independent help.