5. Debt and Mental Health Evidence Form
The Debt and Mental Health Evidence Form (DMHEF) was launched in 2008 by the Money Advice Liaison Group. The form collects external evidence on a client’s mental health situation.
The client (or someone formally authorised to act on their behalf) must give their consent for the DMHEF to be completed. They can also request for it to be done. The DMHEF can only be completed by health and social care professionals, with the client’s assistance, who then share it with creditors when they need to evidence a client’s mental health. Creditors can use the form to help them decide what support to give to the client or what action to take.
The DMHEF is currently in its fourth version. It is simpler and shorter to complete than previous versions. On the reverse side of the form there is an optional space for the health or social care professional to add further information about the client - eg, how their condition may affect their ability to manage money.
Health and social care professionals are not legally required to complete the DMHEF; it is their choice to do so, including which questions they complete. In Scotland, health and social care professionals may request a charge for completing the DMHEF, while in England and Wales they cannot charge to fill in the form. In practice, most health and social care professionals will not request payment to complete the DMHEF.
There are two particular issues with using the DMHEF.1See C Trend, C Fitch and A Sharp, ‘Debt and Mental Health: tools of the trade’, Adviser 160 •The form does not specifically address the question of whether or not the client was able to understand the contract they originally entered into. This is relevant to the enforceability of the contract and, therefore, the client’s liability for the debt. This is a matter that advisers should consider first of all. See Section 6 on here. •The client must give their written consent to the form being used. However, a third party authorised to act on behalf of the client can complete and sign the consent form.
The DMHEF and guidance notes for advisers and creditors are available to download from .