What Mental Health and Emotional Support Is Available During a Compensation or Redress Process
You do not have to wait until a compensation claim or redress application is finished before getting help with how it is affecting you.
You do not have to wait until a compensation claim or redress application is finished before getting help with how it is affecting you.
You also do not need a solicitor to authorise ordinary mental-health support.
The right route depends on what you are experiencing. Somebody who wants space to talk through worry may need something different from somebody experiencing persistent trauma symptoms, severe depression or difficulties linked to chronic pain.
The important point is that emotional support is for you, not for the legal file.
Counselling: somewhere to process what the experience is doing to you
Counselling can help with difficult emotions such as worry, anger, low mood, loss, relationship strain and adjustment after a major life event.
During a claim or redress process, that might mean talking about feeling disbelieved, repeatedly revisiting an accident, guilt about applying, frustration with delays or the effect on family life.
A counsellor should support your wellbeing rather than advise whether to settle, cancel a legal agreement or change solicitor.
NHS Talking Therapies
In England, NHS Talking Therapies provides evidence-based psychological treatment for anxiety disorders and depression. Adults can self-refer, and services can also treat PTSD.
Treatment may include guided self-help, CBT and, for PTSD where clinically appropriate, trauma-focused CBT or EMDR.
You do not need to manufacture a diagnosis before asking for help. The service assesses what you are experiencing and what treatment may be suitable.
Your GP and other NHS services
A GP can help where you are unsure what support you need, symptoms are affecting your health more broadly or you need referral to another service.
Physical injury and mental wellbeing can interact. Pain, poor sleep, medication, reduced mobility and uncertainty can all affect mood and coping.
For serious or complex psychological symptoms, specialist services may be more appropriate than general counselling.
Support provided by a redress scheme
Some redress schemes provide their own practical or emotional support.
For example, Scotland’s Redress Scheme has Redress Support for applicants. Other schemes may signpost survivor services or provide caseworker assistance.
Using scheme support does not prevent you from having independent support as well. Choose the combination that feels appropriate and understand what each service does.
Support through work, charities or privately
Employee assistance programmes, occupational-health services, charities and private therapists can provide other routes.
If choosing a private therapist, check their qualifications, professional registration or accreditation and whether they have appropriate competence for the issue you want help with.
MH360 counselling is one option for people seeking accessible emotional support. It is independent of whether you have a claim, which solicitor you use and whether any compensation or redress is ultimately awarded.
What if the process itself involves trauma?
If you are experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, strong avoidance, hypervigilance or other persistent trauma symptoms, consider appropriate clinical assessment.
NICE recommends trauma-focused psychological treatments for adults with PTSD or clinically important PTSD symptoms in appropriate circumstances, delivered by trained practitioners.
General emotional support can still be valuable, but it should not be presented as specialist trauma treatment unless the practitioner is appropriately trained and competent.
Keep the roles clear
A solicitor provides legal advice. A scheme administrator explains the scheme. A doctor assesses health. A therapist provides psychological or emotional support.
Sometimes these roles interact, but they should not be blurred.
You should be able to seek mental-health support because you need it, without feeling that you are being funnelled towards a legal claim, and without feeling that therapy exists to produce evidence for one.
Important informationThis guide provides general information and is not intended to provide legal, financial, medical or other professional advice. Individual circumstances can be different. You may wish to check current information from official sources and seek advice from an appropriately qualified professional before making important decisions.