The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) wants to recruit two
Expert Debt Adviser Panels, to obtain feedback and insights about current and emerging issues from the frontline. Once recruited, panel members will work with MaPS in an advisory capacity, to inform its future approach to debt advice commissioning and other topics relating to its statutory objectives for debt advice.
The IMA has agreed to help MaPS identify potential Debt Adviser Panel members, as it’s members, wider service users and contacts reflect the breadth and diversity of the debt advice sector.
Smaller panel
The first panel, a small expert cohort of 12-15 people, will work with MaPS on some of the big strategic questions that need to be addressed. This group will meet every month to six weeks or so, for 2-3 hours and is likely to involve some additional work between meetings, such as reviewing or contributing to draft documents. This smaller panel will meet for the first time on 27 March 2023, when it will agree how the panel and MaPS will work together.
Larger panel
The second, much larger group of debt advisers, will form an online expert panel who will participate in a monthly online survey to provide real-time insights on issues like adviser wellbeing as well as views on some of the emerging thinking from the smaller panel. From time to time, and always subject to adviser availability, MaPS may also want to work with sub-sets of this larger group, e.g. a group of webchat advisers or those delivering advice in rural communities, to explore specific topics. This larger panel is expected to be up and running by late April.
MaPS intends to engage with both panels initially through to 31 March 2024. Whilst MaPS is unable to pay Debt Adviser Panel members, it hopes to finalise alternative incentives shortly and will explore these further with the smaller panel.
MaPS is committed to reviewing how the Debt Adviser Panels and other forms of adviser engagement are working, with a view to continuing and/or improving how it engages with frontline advisers after the initial period.
By completing this survey you are agreeing to share your data with MaPS and the IMA for the purposes of the adviser panel recruitment.
If you have any questions on this, please email the IMA at
office@i-m-a.org.uk before submitting your response.