New ways of providing debt advice

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Bruno Boyd
8 years ago
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1 New ways of providing debt advice Regina Martin Online Services Officer Matt Vaughan Wilson Partnerships Manager CfRC Annual Conference, 31 March 2015

2 A changing debt landscape

3 Improving access to advice Developing our own services Online tools and services Webchat Social media Working effectively with other organisations Other advice providers Other charities and voluntary services Commercial sectors

4 Our online services Comprehensive online budgeting and debt advice tool. Advice is tailored to users personal circumstances. Builds a personalised action plan with prompts and deadlines. Step by step practical guides. Prompts the user to take action and update to maintain progress with their situation.

5 Our online services nationaldebtline.org businessdebtline.org Deal with your debts in 4 simple steps. Increase your income Work out your personalised budget. Deal with your priority debts. Deal with your non-priority debts. Comprehensive factsheet library. Sample letter suite to help with writing to creditors. Debt topics to help find much needed information. Web chat with an adviser (National Debtline only).

6 Web Chat Web chat launched on National Debtline in mid We now have a dedicated web chat team. Advisers can interact directly with clients while they are on the site. Pop up box encourages client to contact an adviser. Positive levels of engagement to date.

7 Our approach to social networking Our social media presence is growing and we are working on boosting this. One social media officer (50% split combined with telephone advice). As part of a broader Online Services team in Birmingham (client facing service focus). Increased from one hour a day in Nov Works alongside social media input from advisers and our comms team (stakeholder focus).

8 Twitter

9 Facebook

10 Online forums Generally used to communicate directly with those with debt problems. Main forums we spend time on are Money Saving Expert and the Consumer Action Group. We often provide advice in the areas which require greater detail or expertise such as insolvency-related matters. Key aim is to answer the question on the forum but to also post a link to our website for further information if needed.

11 What next? Further development of our Facebook pages for both National Debtline and Business Debtline. Facebook ads etc.. Further improvement to our websites, including the possibilty of making them better optimised for mobiles. Topical awareness campaigns operated jointly between social media and traditional media channels. Possible use of Google ads etc.. Possible web chat facility for Business Debtline.

12 Partnerships with other charities and services Citizens Advice and National Debtline Increased capacity for telephone debt advice Integrated service for clients, taking in AdviceLine, National Debtline and Bureaux. 62,000 calls will be answered in Nov- March 2015 through this partnership My Money Steps and Turn2us Links two complementary online tools Links benefits advice with debt advice Cross-promotion and minimising duplication for clients

13 Partnerships with other charities and services National Debtline and Trussell Trust Support volunteers to Identify and signpost Helps provide reassurance that food banks are targeting genuine need Support for clients in crisis Pilot involving 6 foodbanks across UK expected to launch Q2 MAT and non-specialist agencies Guiding People to Free Debt Advice Awareness workshop and signposting materials for non-advisers Suitable for churches, food banks, community groups, charities. Builds on pilot in summer 2014

14 Support for commercial organisations Mental health Vulnerability Awareness combined with practical tools and techniques Early intervention and signposting Cross-sector approach

15 Future challenges Future proofing - Ensuring that our online services are always optimised for the latest technology. Integration and engagement Removing barriers to advice-seeking and gaps between services Widening the net of engagement building on existing good practice among creditors to engage with new organisations and sectors Online tools, web chat, social media Regina Martin Regina.martin@moneyadvicetrust.org Partnerships and training Matt Vaughan Wilson Matthew.vaughanwilson@moneyadvice trust.org

Helping consumers to manage their money

Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General Money Advice Service Helping consumers to manage their money HC 879 SESSION 2013-14 5 DECEMBER 2013 4 Key facts Helping consumers to manage their money Key