The Intermediary – March 2026 - Flipbook - Page 92
B RO K E R B U S I N E S S
Opinion
Turning awareness
he mortgage industry
is built on resilience.
Every day, advisers,
lenders, administrators
and support teams
work under pressure to
help customers navigate some of the
most important financial decisions
of their lives. Deadlines are tight,
cases can be complex, and the market
rarely stands still. But resilience has
its limits.
Research conducted through the
Mortgage Industry Mental Health
Charter (MIMHC) has highlighted
some uncomfortable truths about the
pressures people in our sector face.
Around 62% of respondents report
working more than 45 hours per
week, while 22% say they are not
geing the minimum recommended
amount of sleep. Most concerning
of all, 22% of people describe their
mental health as either ‘poor’ or ‘of
concern’. Those figures should make
every leader in our industry pause
for thought.
The mortgage sector has become
far beer at talking about mental
health in recent years. Conversations
that once sat in the shadows are
increasingly happening in offices, on
webinars and across industry events.
That progress maers. But awareness
alone doesn’t change outcomes.
If we are serious about supporting
people in our industry, we need to
move from conversation to action.
One of the most practical ways to do
that is through Mental Health First
Aid (MHFA) training.
T
The confidence to step in
Mental Health First Aid training is
designed to equip individuals with
the skills and confidence to recognise
the early signs that someone might
be struggling, start supportive
conversations and guide them towards
appropriate help.
In many ways, it follows the same
logic as physical first aid. We don’t
expect someone who takes a first aid
course to suddenly become a doctor.
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The Intermediary | March 2026
But we do want them to feel confident
to step in during those critical early
moments when someone needs help.
Mental Health First Aid works in
exactly the same way. Participants
learn how to spot warning signs,
approach sensitive conversations and
understand their own boundaries,
while also learning how and when
to signpost someone towards
professional support.
Importantly, through the Mortgage
Industry Mental Health Charter, this
Mental Health First Aid training is
available free of charge to individuals
working within the mortgage sector,
Over time, this
creates a network
of people who feel
confident enough to
start conversations and
support colleagues when
it matters most”
thanks to the generous support of
the Niall Stringer Foundation. Their
backing ensures that more people
across the industry can access this vital
training and play a role in supporting
the wellbeing of colleagues.
In a high-pressure environment
like financial services, those skills
can make a genuine difference.Many
in our industry care deeply about
their colleagues, but when it comes to
mental health, worry about saying the
wrong thing or making the situation
worse. MHFA training removes much
of that uncertainty by providing a
simple framework for how to respond.
Learning from experience
The response from professionals
who have already aended Mental
Health First Aid training through
the Mortgage Industry Mental
JASON BERRY
is co-founder of the Mortgage
Industry Mental Health
Charter (MIMHC)
Health Charter has been incredibly
encouraging.
Julie Patrick, head of governance,
risk and compliance at Crystal,
who aended one of the first
courses, summed up the experience
powerfully.
“The course was massively
insightful and whilst challenging
at times, given the topic, so
worthwhile,” she said.
Julie also highlighted that the
training provides practical tools that
extend far beyond the workplace.
“Not only did I leave with the
tools to deal with mental health
emergencies, I gained a deeper
understanding of the signs to look out
for and, crucially, how to signpost
for support.
“This is not only a skill which can be
used in the workplace, but can bring
benefit to friends and family.”
That reflection captures something
important. Mental Health First Aid
training doesn’t just benefit businesses
– it benefits people in every area of
their lives.
Stronger support
Industry leaders have also recognised
the importance of building these
capabilities across the sector.
Nicola Firth, founder of Knowledge
Bank and a co-founder of the
Mortgage Industry Mental Health
Charter, aended one of the inaugural
