Helping Money Wellness become stammer-friendly

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Read about how our Training Services helped Money Wellness, who provide free debt and money advice. 

At the STAMMA Training Services, we work with organisations to help them adjust their ways of working so they're welcoming and appropriate for staff and customers who stammer. We've recently been enjoying a really positive collaboration with a free service called Money Wellness. In this blog post, we want to share a bit about how they've made their procedures more stammer-friendly, as well as tell you about the support they offer, in case it's something you need.

About Money Wellness

It was a surprise to us to learn that there are nearly 10 million people in debt in the UK. It makes sense though, as living costs rise and bring with them an increase in money worries and pressure. There are sure to be plenty of people who stammer within that 10 million, so the work of Money Wellness, who provide free debt and money advice, is really important. If you need their help, Money Wellness's advisors are now well trained to help callers who stammer. They're commissioned by the Money and Pensions Service, so their support is completely free if you want to contact them.

We know that debt and money worries can take a toll on physical and mental health. The service by Money Wellness can help resolve those immediate pressures and support people in finding a way to 'live more. Stress less'. Their advisors can help resolve financial difficulties by helping you budget effectively, understand any benefits you're entitled to, provide support with vouchers for food banks and, where suitable, provide access to debt solutions.

They understand that there are lots of reasons people struggle with money, and often debt is just part of the problem. In fact, they help 75% of their customers access additional support around pressures such as mental health struggles, addiction, bereavement and lots more.

How STAMMA have helped

In our recent campaign about making GP appointment bookings easier for people who stammer, we found out how important it was that surgeries offer more than one way to book an appointment. If they only allow phone bookings phone, they exclude a lot of people who find speaking on the phone very difficult because of their stammer. It's been great to see that Money Wellness already offer their customers a choice for how they want to access their service. As well as their phonelines, which are open 7 days a week, you can use their online portal if you prefer.

We helped Money Wellness understand the big and small things they can do to make their service accessible for people who stammer. Everything from ensuring their advisors understand stammering and its effects, to training and support on how to respond to callers who stammer. Something we've discussed a lot is 'silent calls' or when there appears to be 'a bad line'. Money Wellness acknowledged that they may well have hung up on such calls in the past, not realising that maybe, just maybe, it was a caller who stammers and who was working hard to speak. So now their advisors have a new line they use when the phone connects but no-one speaks: "Take your time. I'm listening. I'm here".

Within three weeks of introducing this new line, Money Wellness were delighted to receive four spontaneous feedback comments from people who told them they stammer and how great the advisor had been with them. Here's a flavour of those comments:

“10 out of 10. The lady who I initially spoke to was absolutely great considering I have a stammer and was embarrassed about the situation. She made me confident whilst I was on the phone to her. Cannot thank her enough for her help and the way she dealt with me, and everyone else who I spoke to after was great as well, so yeah, 10 out of 10 from me.”

“Wonderful service. I wish I'd contacted for help earlier. Absolutely brilliant. The advisor took her time to explain and help me understand. I suffer from depression and anxiety plus a stammer. I've been anxious waiting for the call all day. I felt so much better after the call. Thank you so much.”

It just goes to show that, together, we can make a difference for customers who stammer. Changing the world. One phonecall at a time. 

Visit the Money Wellness website to find out more and access their services. See how STAMMA Training Services can help your organisation.