The Guardian covers Money and Pensions Service threat to face-to-face debt advice

The threat to face-to-face services posed by the Money and Pensions Service ('MaPs') recommissioning of debt advice has today (8th November 2021) been covered by The Guardian newspaper.

Despite overall funding for debt advice increasing from £51m a year pre-pandemic to £77m, from April the bulk of the money will go to three national call centres, while cash for local services that provide face-to-face help will be halved. Information provided to We are Debt Advisers indicates that West Yorkshire’s advisers could be cut from 32 to 11, South Yorkshire’s from 28 to seven, and Hull, East Riding and North Lincolnshire’s from 18 to four.

However, MaPS "insists there is no evidence that face-to-face advice delivers better outcomes than digital or phone alternatives, and says under the new system face-to-face services will be maintained for people who need them."

Read the full article here.

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