Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will issue guidance on accessing free and impartial financial advice on the support for mortgage interest payments loan.

All existing SMI claimants are sent information about how the SMI loan will work, about possible alternatives to the loan and organisations that may offer further information and support. This is followed up by telephone calls from Serco to explain the information and answer any questions. A leaflet containing Frequently Asked Questions is issued to support this informed discussion. The information provision explicitly does not provide advice but does signpost to other impartial organisations that can help customers who may need assistance on reaching a financial decision such as Money Advice Service.