Money worries
Money worries may be due to recently losing your job, a relationship breakdown, debts, rising costs, critical or terminal illness, unexpected changes, unstable income or many other issues. Find out how we can help, how to make changes to your account and how to access support.
We can help if you need to:
- Stop or reduce any Direct Debits
- Withdraw money from your ISA or Investment Account
- Take money from your pension early if you have serious ill-health
How to make changes to your account
Call us
You can call us on:
(outside UK +44 1256 58 80 00)
Monday to Friday 8am to 9pm
Saturday 9am to 6pm
Calls to 03 numbers are treated the same as calls to 01 and 02 numbers, including any inclusive minutes and discounted schemes. Up to 16p per minute from a UK landline. Up to 65p per minute from mobiles.
Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.
If you have a hearing or speech impairment you can call us using Relay UK.
Message us
You can send us a secure message when you sign in to our Online Service or the app.
Online
Stocks and Shares ISA or Investment Account
If you’re happy to make the changes yourself:
Change regular payments – sign in to our Online Service and select ‘Manage monthly payments’
Make a withdrawal or amend a regular withdrawal – sign in to our Online Service and choose ‘Make a one-off withdrawal’, ‘Set up a monthly withdrawal’ or ‘Manage monthly withdrawals’
Pension
If you’re happy to make the changes yourself:
Change regular payments – sign in to our Online Service and select ‘Manage monthly payments’.
Taking your pension early – you can access your Octopus Money Direct Pension from age 55 (rising to age 57 for some customers from April 2028), even if that’s earlier than the retirement age you’ve previously selected. Just contact us and we’ll talk you through the info you need.
You may be able to access your pension earlier than age 55 if you have serious ill-health.
For a Stocks and Shares ISA, Investment Account or Pension, you can stop or reduce payments anytime, but this could affect how much money you’ll get back. You can also withdraw money from your Stocks and Shares ISA or Investment Account whenever you like, but this could affect future returns. You can take your Pension early if you have serious ill-health. You should also consider the tax implications if you withdraw money. You’ll lose the tax-efficient status of money withdrawn from your ISA unless you transfer it directly into another ISA. Withdrawals from your Investment Account may be subject to Capital Gains Tax. Any Pension withdrawals are taxed as income, except in cases of serious-ill health.
What happens next?
- If you choose to reduce payments into your Stocks and Shares ISA, Investment Account or Pension it takes 3 working days to amend it.
- If you decide to stop your payments into your , Stocks and Shares ISA, Investment Account or Pension, and you cancel your Direct Debit within 3 working days of the collection date, the cancellation will happen after your next payment is collected.
- Once you’ve requested a withdrawal from your Stocks and Shares ISA or Investment Account it takes 3-5 working days for it to arrive in your account. If you have an urgent need for the money due to your personal circumstances, please call us.
- If you decided to take your pension early and it was approved, we’ll pay your pension amount. It takes 3-5 working days for it to arrive in your account. If you have an urgent need for the money due to your personal circumstances, please call us. If we’re unable to approve, we’ll be in touch.
Additional support
We’re here to support you
We can offer support or adjustments to make it easier for you to deal with us.
Accessibility
Find out about some of the ways we can support you and how to make accessibility requests.
Power of attorney
Information about how to arrange for someone to manage some or all of your financial affairs.
Serious ill-health, terminal or critical illness
Resources and contact details for people who can help.
Trusted organisations ready to help
Find support for your wellbeing, finances and more.
Benefits, hardship and legal advice
- Citizen’s advice – impartial advice on money, housing and legal rights.
- Gov.uk – Official government advice.
- Shelter – Housing rights and emergency support in England and Wales.
- Shelter Scotland – Housing rights and emergency support in Scotland.
- Turn2us – Grants and benefits.
Mental health and emotional support
- Mind – Mental health and money advice in England and Wales.
- SAMH – Mental health support in Scotland.
- Macmillan – Support when health affects your finances.
- Age UK – Financial and digital support.
- Samaritans – 24/7 emotional support.
Benefits, hardship and legal advice
- National debt line – practical debt advice and budgeting tools.
- PayPlan – support to manage debt.
- Pension Wise – impartial pension advice.
- MoneyHelper – free, impartial guidance on pensions, savings and debt.
- GamCare – support for gambling-related worries.
- StepChange – free debt advice and repayment help.