2. Debt | The Money and Pensions Service

It is important that you’re aware of where the regulated boundaries are and do not go beyond them (please refer to ‘The boundaries of the service and of your role’ and the description of advice). Guidance can provide information and/or options for customers’ choice of debt solution without making an explicit recommendation. You must not recommend a specific course of action based on the customers’ individual circumstances and/or goals.

Tier 1

2.1.1	Awareness of the common types of debt on which customers typically seek advice and guidance (e.g. credit cards, loans, council tax/rates etc.)
2.1.2	Awareness of the difference between priority and non-priority debts
2.1.3	Awareness of the likely triggers for debt
2.1.4	Awareness of reasons why individuals might seek out loans from illegal or dubious source such as loan sharks, family and friends and typical issues this can cause
2.1.5	Determine if customers are managing to keep up with payments, if they cannot cope, or if there is an urgent situation (e.g. enforcement agents)
2.1.6	Signpost or refer customers to appropriate local and national organisations that provide advice and guidance on debt issues and sources of support
2.1.7	Support customers in accessing online portals and using toolkits, which might include completing information on their behalf
2.1.8	Provide factual information in response to specific, targeted questions (e.g. describing a debt management plan; individual voluntary arrangement etc.)
2.1.9	Awareness of scams and what to do if a customer has been the subject of a scam

Further information

Here you will find further information to help meet the competencies in the framework and in doing so your customers too.

It includes relevant training and qualifications to the particular domain (identified by a mapping exercise carried out in 2019). These links are provided for your information and should not be interpreted as approval or endorsement of the materials.

It also includes links to further information on a range of relevant domain topics. Many of these links go to the MoneyHelper website, where you can get up to date information on most of the topics along with links to other organisations and sources of support.

This information is by no means exhaustive but our intention is that it will strengthen and grow over the course of the future programme.

We have put together a directory of further information to help you meet the competencies in the framework that will also support the people you help too.

It includes relevant training and qualifications for each domain (identified by a mapping exercise carried out in 2019).

The links to training and qualifications are provided for your information and should not be interpreted as approval or endorsement of the materials. Before signing up, it is important to check the credentials of the organisation if you are not familiar with them.

Things to think about include:

Will you get professional or recognised accreditation?
Can you get recommendations from your network?
Could you negotiate discounts by grouping together with other practitioners?

There are also links to further information on a range of relevant domain topics. Many of these links go to the MoneyHelper website, where you can get up to date information along with links to other organisations and sources of support. You can signpost people to these sources or use them as a basis for direct guidance. This information will be very useful for supporting your skills and knowledge in tier 1 technical domain.

Bear in mind this information is intended as a starting point and we plan to add further resources as we become aware of them to create a comprehensive database that will strengthen and grow as the programme develops.

Please do let us know of any training, qualifications or information resources that you use and think would help other practitioners by contacting us.