Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) statement: update on debt advice commissioning of 17 December 2021, when she plans to make funding available to MaPS to extend contracts for existing providers of community-based debt advice services for (a) three months initially and (b) a further 12 months following the decision not to proceed with the regional lot.

The Money and Pensions Service’s (MaPS) annual budget will be agreed as part of their annual budget negotiations with the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Treasury which are currently ongoing and will conclude shortly. This includes funding allocation towards provision of free-to-client debt advice in England.

The Government recognises the sector’s need for planning certainty and is working at pace with MaPS to provide further information to the bidders and the sector shortly.