Request for Information - MaPS Debt Advice Commissioning - Business Debt

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is an arm's-length body, sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, with a joint commitment to ensure information, guidance and advice is provided to members of the public in the clearest and most cost-effective way.

MaPS has gathered significant insight into the needs and preferences of people who use, or may find value in, personal debt advice services. This insight is augmented by the raft of high-quality evidence produced by the broader debt advice sector which has been made available to us for review.

One area in which MaPS has less information, however, relates to the needs and preferences of those people whose problem business debt overlaps with their personal financial situation.

MaPS' interest in business debts advice is restricted by its statutory remit which means that we are only permitted to fund advice "for those individuals who have problems with debts they are personally liable for (regardless of the nature/purpose of these debts) and who derive income from self-employment".

Before the commissioning process, we are seeking insight from any organisation who could add to MaPS' understanding of this cohort of debt advice/potential debt advice customers.

We are particularly interested in evidence on the following:

1. What differences exist (either quantifiable or perceived) in the value proposition of debt advice to the population defined above in "speach marks" compared to those debt advice customers who are not self-employed and seek advice only for personal debt issues.
2. Any material differences in the advice needs of the population defined above and those debt advice customers who are not self-employed and seek advice only for personal debt issues.
3. If/how the population defined above are identified or segmented having approached an organisation for advice, for example any criteria used to determine advice needs.
4. Are there any groups or subsets of self-employed people who may be equally well served by mainstream debt advice?
5. The types of vulnerable circumstances which are more prevalent amongst the population defined above.
6. The differences in outcomes from debt advice between the population defined above and those debt advice customers who are not self-employed and seek advice only for personal debt issues.
7. What other specialist support exists which complements debt advice for the population defined above.
8. What bespoke considerations exist for debt advice quality assurance when an organisation is involved in advising the population defined above.
9. Views on the relevant skills and competences required of personnel involved in providing debt advice to the population defined above and any associated training requirements.

Written responses should be returned to [email protected] by 28th May 2021.

Please only respond to those points on which you feel your organisation can help inform MaPS' insight - do not feel compelled to respond to every point.

MaPS has a very limited window available to meet with organisations to discuss their response. Should you feel a meeting would add value please submit a meeting request to MaPS, including a brief explanation of why you feel a meeting would be worthwhile, as part of your response to the questions above.

MaPS will seek to accommodate these requests as far as possible and may hold a multilateral (round table) meeting via Teams in the event of significant interest. Meeting(s) will be held week commencing 31st May.