Safeguarding policy

Version 0.1 (draft) · Last updated 7 October 2026 · Reviewed at least every 12 months

1. Why we have this policy

BudgetUp is used by young people from 16, by students and by adults, some of whom may be facing money worries, debt, financial abuse or hardship. Money and wellbeing are closely linked. We're committed to keeping everyone who uses BudgetUp safe, to acting on any concern, and to working with the institutions that give our learners access.

This policy applies to everyone who works for or with BudgetUp, including staff, contractors, content reviewers and volunteers. It takes account of Keeping Children Safe in Education (for learners under 18 in colleges), Working Together to Safeguard Children, the Care Act 2014 (for adults at risk) and the ICO Children's Code.

2. Designated safeguarding lead

• Designated safeguarding lead (DSL): Atilla Tanrikulu, Director, Tamsar Global Ltd ([email protected])
• Deputy DSL: being appointed. Until then, the DSL checks [email protected] every working day, and anything urgent that cannot wait should go straight to the police (999) or the local authority children's or adult social care team.
• Email: [email protected] (monitored on working days; we aim to respond within one working day)

BudgetUp isn't an emergency service and our inbox isn't monitored around the clock. If someone is at immediate risk, call 999.

3. Safe by design

We reduce risk in how the product is built:

• No chat, direct messages, friends lists or user-generated posts, so learners can't be contacted by strangers through BudgetUp.
• Display names are pseudonymous by default, and leaderboards are opt-in.
• Under-18 mode, following the Children's Code: high-privacy defaults, no profiling, no marketing, no AI coach, no individual leaderboards and no push nudges.
• No ads, no product recommendations, no gambling-style mechanics, no loot boxes and no paid streak repairs.
• Content on serious topics (debt crisis, financial abuse, bereavement, gambling harm, mental health) switches to a warm, joke-free tone and always signposts help.
• Every piece of content passes a tone review: it never punches down at poverty, debt, disability, mental health, race, religion or sex, and it's safe to show in a classroom.

4. How concerns might come to us

• An email to support, safeguarding or complaints
• Feedback or free text a learner enters in the app
• Messages to our AI money coach (adults only, when available), where an automated classifier flags possible risk such as self-harm, abuse or crisis and shows crisis signposts straight away
• A report from an institution, a parent or carer, or a member of the public

5. What we do when there's a concern

1. Respond. Whoever receives the concern takes it seriously, doesn't promise to keep it secret, and passes it to the DSL the same working day.
2. Assess. The DSL decides what's needed. If there's immediate risk, they contact emergency services.
3. Signpost. We reply to the person (where we can) with relevant help, such as crisis lines, debt advice, or their institution's support team.
4. Refer. Where the learner joined through an institution and we have a concern about their safety, we share it with that institution's designated safeguarding contact, as agreed in our contract with them. For under-18s or adults at risk, we may refer to the local authority or police. We share only what's necessary, in line with data protection law, which allows sharing to keep people safe.
5. Record. The DSL keeps a secure, confidential record of the concern, decisions and actions, with access limited to the DSL and deputy.
6. Review. We look at whether anything in the product or content should change.

6. Our people

• Everyone working for us reads this policy and completes safeguarding training when they join and every year.
• Anyone whose role involves regular direct contact with learners, or who can view learners' safeguarding records, has an appropriate DBS check where they're eligible for one.
• Staff don't contact learners through personal accounts or social media.
• Concerns about the behaviour of anyone working for us should go to the DSL, or, if it's about the DSL (who is also the company director), directly to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or the police. Concerns about someone working with children may also be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

7. Where to get help

Urgent help

Money, housing, gambling and scams

If you study or work somewhere that gave you a BudgetUp code, your student money, wellbeing or HR team can help too, often including hardship funds.

8. Working with institutions

Each institution licence names a safeguarding contact at the institution. We agree in writing how and when we'll share concerns, and the institution tells us about any local procedures. Institutions remain responsible for safeguarding their own learners. We support them, and never replace their processes.

Related policies

Privacy notice · Acceptable use · Complaints