Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2022 to Question 106695, on Debts: Advisory Services, what support is available until MaPS identifies a longer-term solution; and what his timeframe is for identifying a longer-term solution.

This question was answered on 4th February 2022
The Government and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) are committed to ensure that those in financial difficulty who need help can access free of charge debt advice. While MaPS works through their next steps on their commissioning exercise, as set out in their update of 17 December 2021, they have confirmed they will be extending existing grants for a limited period of time.

The Government recognises the sector’s need for planning certainty and is closely engaging with MaPS as they work through the next steps including by making sure they are considering recent representations made by various stakeholders in the sector on how best to deliver locally based debt advice provision going forward.

The Government is working at pace with MaPS to provide further information to the bidders and the sector shortly.