Posted 23 hours ago
Mon 11 May, 2026 12:05 AM
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and this years theme is 'action' - taking small practical steps which could benefit your wellbeing. This post from the Welfare Advice Team in the Advice and Counselling Service considers the particular challenges faced by many neurodivergent students, especially those with ADHD, in managing money.
Often worrying about money?
Financial issues can be stressful for any student. That’s because worrying about money can impact on your wellbeing and, conversely, poor mental health can make it difficult to manage your money, so it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of stress and financial problems.
Once you’re locked in, it can be hard to see a way forward, and the temptation is often to do nothing and hope your issues resolve themselves. The truth is, financial issues don’t tend to resolve themselves, and may get worse over time and lead to more stress and more debt, so it’s important to act as soon as possible.
Extra challenges faced by neurodivergent students
If you are neurodivergent, for example a student with ADHD, your difficulties may be compounded by overwhelm, impulsivity, difficulties with form filling, making applications and many other issues. Taken together these can make budgeting and money management especially hard.
Get support
If you can, try and take control of your financial issues; don’t let them control you. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to help you, both at University and externally.
Support at Queen Mary
There’s lots of support at Queen Mary to help you manage you finances. If you have a diagnosed health condition, you are probably already in contact with Queen Mary’s Disability and Dyslexia Service for academic support.
But did you know you can also request an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser in the Advice and Counselling Service to look at strategies to implement on issues impacting you at university such as stress, anxiety, time management, organisation and low mood, all of which can be money-related.
Welfare Advice
You also request an appointment with a Welfare Adviser for advice about:
- Applying for undergraduate and postgraduate hardship funds
- Helping you plan a budget
- Explaining welfare benefit eligibility for students with children or disabilities
- Explaining additional financial support for students with individual circumstances such as students who are estranged or care-experienced
- Signposting you to specialist debt practitioners
A Welfare Adviser will be able to take an objective overview of your finances and give you non-judgmental advice about your options.
If you prefer, take a look at our Money pages where you’ll find all the information you need in one place.
How to book an appointment with a Wellbeing Advisor and/or a Welfare Advisor
You can contact us for confidential 1:1 welfare advice and/or wellbeing advice via our enquiry form:
Log into AskQM, click on the Home tab at the top of the page followed by the ‘new enquiry button’. Please select ‘Advice and Counselling Service’ as the enquiry category and then select the relevant subcategory. You can then proceed to answer the questions/complete the free text box.
Alternatively, call into our front line reception on the ground floor of the Geography Building, Mile End Campus, during our opening hours: Monday to Friday: 11 am-12:30 pm and 1:30 pm-3 pm
💡There's also lots of general, helpful budgeting and money advice available on Residential Life.
Support from external organisations
There are many external organisations offering support to those with ADHD. Whilst the links below are not recommendations or endorsements of any particular organisation or their services, you may find some of the information useful.
Loughborough University’s budgeting pages also lists resources under the section Impulsive Spending which might help identify what could work for you in terms of money management:
- Why ADHD makes money messy
- ADHD Overspending and Impulsivity: Tips for Better Finances
- ADHD and Money – Think ADHD
- Budgeting Tips That Work For ADHD Brains
- ADHD and Money Management: Tips from a Financial Advisor | ADHD Connect
Support from banks
Many banks, such as Monzo, also offer targeted support to those with ADHD and HSBC offers a daily in-branch quiet hour and a hidden disabilities sunflower to let staff know you might need extra support.
If you have a diagnosed condition, why not contact your bank to ask what support they offer to help you manage your money.
Don't hesitate to reach out for support if you need it. For more general financial advice and guidance, check out more stories on Residential Life.
