Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space - MaPS

Breathing Space is a debt respite scheme which provides protection for people living in England and Wales who are in debt. This includes pausing enforcement action and contact from creditors, and freezing interest and charges on clients' debts. Individuals receiving mental health crisis treatment can enter a Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space (MHCBS). Within this, debt advice providers can enter individuals into MHCBS after receiving evidence they are receiving crisis treatment. More information on Breathing Space can be found in the government: Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/debt-respite-scheme-breathing-space-guidance/debt-respite-scheme-breathing-space-guidance-for-money-advisers Regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780348209976/contents The Breathing Space policy, covering England and Wales, is owned by HM Treasury. MaPS has been funding a pilot to take MHCBS referrals specifically in England since May 2021, and now intends to procure a longer-term service to replace the pilot. MaPS intends the new service to begin mobilisation on 1st January 2024, and would expect the service to be completely up and running by 1st April 2024. The pilot has three core functions: Processing referrals for MHCBS: assessing clients' eligibility for Breathing Space and if appropriate entering them into it (in accordance with the regulations) Proactively engaging with the client during/ following their crisis treatment - understanding their needs, informing them on their options and connecting them to appropriate help (including to debt advice). Giving debt advice during or after clients' crisis treatment (where appropriate). Most referrals are sent by healthcare professionals, but the pilot also supports clients of other debt advice providers to enter MHCBS. At this stage, MaPS anticipates the new service principally undertaking the three core functions of the pilot, which focus on clients who qualify for MHCBS. However, MaPS is interested in exploring whether there would be a merit in the service supporting the debt advice sector in other ways. For example, giving debt advice to clients who do not meet the eligibility criteria for MHCBS but who do have severe mental health problems and complex needs that warrant specialist debt advice, or providing support to other advice providers serving clients with complex mental health needs. MaPS will be seeking feedback from potential bidders and other relevant stakeholders on key design principles of the service and on how the service can add value to the debt advice landscape. The service will need to meet the requirements of the FCA (Finance Conduct Authority) approved MaPS Standards: https://moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk/money-and-pensions-service-standards/ A successful bidder shall be required to evidence that the MaPS Standards are met and that the required systems and controls are in place to achieve compliance through a range of monitoring mechanisms. The service will need to be designed with consideration of the MaPS Standards and provide assurance that the Quality frameworks being used by delivery partners whether internal or external are effective, robust and in line with expectations. The service will also need to be able to cater for the specific needs of people with severe mental health problems. Evidence on this has been gathered throughout the pilot and will be shared with the market in due course. The budget for the service will be determined by the specification, which will be developed based on consultation with the market and stakeholders within the debt and health sectors. Spend for the current pilot has ranged from £1.1m - £1.3m per annum. The proposed length of the agreement will be communicated to potential bidders in April/ early May. MaPS would welcome multi-organisational bids i.e., Bidders who collaborate, whether as Lead Organisation / Supply Chain Partner, Consortium or Partnership model, to deliver the service outcomes. In such instances where the organisations are not a single legal entity, potential bidders must note that MaPS would anticipate entering into a single agreement with a lead bidder/ entity which has been nominated to take responsibility. The lead bidder will in turn need to have their own legally binding (or appropriate) agreements with their partners which comply with the requirements outlined in the agreement with MaPS. Organisations delivering debt advice must hold the relevant FCA authorisation (to provide debt advice) unless they have a valid FCA-authorised exemption. However, organisations wishing to take part in the bidding process do not need to have received FCA authorisation to bid or to act as a consortium lead during the delivery of services but must ensure the delivery partners include providers who will be FCA authorised by the time they give debt advice. Organisations receiving Breathing Space referrals and entering clients into Breathing Space must meet the definition of debt advice provider set out in the Breathing Space regulations. Prospective providers are advised that the FCA authorisation process can take up to 12 months. Visit the FCA website to find out more: https://www.fca.org.uk/ Additional information: SUPPLIER ENGAGEMENT EVENT - MaPS plans to hold a supplier engagement session on 28th March 2023. The session will provide an opportunity for prospective bidders/ providers and other debt and health stakeholders to: find out more about the aims of the proposed service, the procurement process involved have the opportunity to network with others and make useful contacts share views on opportunities and challenges in relation to this service MaPS will use the opportunity to gather intelligence which may influence development of the requirements. To attend the engagement session on the 28th of March 2023, interested organisations and/or individuals should register using the following link:- https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/MhDku86PQk26tUTiFRCIbQ,AButJ2w2V062EMK4OKy2UQ,Cot66rh6kU-dCd2l2Y0VpA,YtGLCydHnkyTHXLtq5Y7YA,d7o6w_maH0eRmG592iN4NA,IJK9kFK4FkiS2b6i_EMQ4g?mode=read&tenantId=bbe41032-8fce-4d42-bab5-44e21510886d MaPS reserves the right not to proceed with the Procurement or any part thereof, or to change the requirements as necessary at any time. The ITT (Invitation to Tender) is expected to be published in August 2023 (may be subject to change). A Contract Notice will be issued.