Reports by the Money and Pensions Service
Financial wellbeing in the workplace

Cost of living pressures: what employers and self-employed people need to know

Many people in the UK face uncertainty when it comes to financial wellbeing, as cost of living pressures continue and with the impact of the pandemic still being felt. 

This is a key opportunity to connect your employees with the support, guidance and information available to help them feel more in control of their financial situation. 

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS)  is an arms-length body of the UK Government, and helps people make the most of their money and pensions. 

Free, impartial money guidance for employers and self-employed people 

We offer impartial and free information and guidance on pensions and money issues, as well as supporting the provision and funding of debt advice.  

You can contact MaPS across a range of channels with any money or pension related question or issue that you may have. 

We’re not here to tell you what you need to do or recommend particular products, but we will help you find your way forward through any money or pensions worries you may have, and  and, when necessary, talk though how you can access regulated financial advice and stay safe in your financial dealings. 

Easy to access services

Our role is to help everyone make the most of their money and pensions. 

Our services are accessible through a range of remote channels, such as online, via free phone, webchat, TypeTalk and WhatsApp. 

MoneyHelper: Free, impartial money guidance for individuals

MoneyHelper logo

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/

MoneyHelper helpline: 0800 138 7777

We also operate under consumer brand MoneyHelper, which employers can point employees in need of guidance and support towards 

MoneyHelper exists to cut through the jargon and complexity, explain what they need to do and how they can do it. It’s here to put people in control, with free, impartial help that’s quick to find, easy to use and backed by government.   

Whatever your circumstances, MoneyHelper is on your side. Online and over the phone, you’ll get clear money and pension guidance. MoneyHelper can also point you to trusted services, if you need more support.   

Safety from scams

We operate under consumer brand MoneyHelper. Our service will never contact you out of the blue, recommend any product and it is illegal to impersonate MaPS, or our legacy brands Pension Wise, The Pensions Advisory Service or Money Advice Service. We know that when local areas are affected by the closure of a major business or pension scheme change people can become targets for unscrupulous practice. Our role is to offer a safe place to go with any money and pensions worries that you may have.

Our websites and those of our partners contain guides and tools that may be useful, on topics including: 

Get help with the cost of living 

Our step-by-step guides include simple things you can do to manage your money during this time, if you’re employed, self-employed or worried about losing your job. 

Man looking to one side with tower blocks behind him

Debt advice 

We are the largest funder of debt advice in England. Find out where you can get free debt advice wherever you are in the UK. 

Pensions and investments 

These pensions guides help your employees to avoid rushing retirement decisions, and help keep your money safe from scams: 

Redundancy 

Help for businesses, the self-employed and sole traders 

Government and partners we fund such as Business Debtline have published Covid-19 money guidance for businesses and self-employed people, covering topics such as business rates, furlough, grants and tax payments. 

Help for individuals 

Contact our partnerships team

Contact our regional partnerships team for free support and practical ways to help you build financial wellbeing across your organisation.

If your organisation has multiple sites, please contact the regional manager closest to your head office.

Scotland

Kevin Duffy

Headshot of Kevin Duffy at Money and Pensions Service

Kevin joined the Money and Pensions Service as Scotland Partnership Manager in January 2020, having spent the last 20 years working in roles across banking and banking education for the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Chartered Banker Institute. He has significant experience of stakeholder management with financial services organisations, commercial employers and higher education institutions.

He is passionate about the UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing and enjoys connecting with partners from all sectors to deliver our vision.

Outside of work, Kevin is married with two children, lives near Glasgow and is a keen trail runner, when the Scottish weather allows.

 

 

East Midlands

Paul Rhodes

Headshot of Paul Rhodes at Money and Pensions Service

Paul is the Regional Manager for the East Midlands. He develops partnerships across the public, private and third sectors that promote and improve the financial wellbeing of an organisation’s residents, customers, staff and consumers.

Before joining MaPS, Paul worked at the Centre for Ageing Better where he developed their strategic partnership with Lincolnshire County Council in response to the challenges of an ageing population, raising ageing as a strategic priority and taking joint action to improve later lives in rural and coastal areas.

He has a background in health and social care and sits on the board of a Lincolnshire charity that reviews and evaluates the effectiveness of health and wellbeing services, as well as delivering the statutory Healthwatch service.

Outside of work Paul loves to cook, read and travel with his young family.

 

South East England

Claudine Bell

Headshot of Claudine Bell, MaPS Regional Manger for the South East

Claudine is the Regional Manager for South East England. She is passionate about supporting the financial wellbeing of your residents, customers and employees.

Claudine has over 15 years experience of working with stakeholders and organisations across medical, dental and legal sectors. Her focus has been around providing information and educational content regarding financial services including income protection and pensions.

Contact Claudine on claudine.bell@maps.org.uk to find out more about how your organisation could benefit from MaPS’ support.

 

Northern Ireland

Margaret McCloskey

Headshot of Margaret McCloskey at Money and Pensions Service

Margaret’s role is to build relationships with a wide range of private, public and third-party stakeholders, to help with the successful delivery of MAPS engagement strategy and business plan.  Margaret’s initial work will include introducing and delivering propositions to Employers to help improve the way Employees manage their money, debt and pensions.   Her role also includes planning and delivering forums, events and communications which help to deliver the business plan by bringing together cross sector groups to improve customer access to help and support.

Throughout her career she developed and executed a number of strategic business plans that involved proficiency skill.  She gained recognition across the newspaper, magazine and retail industry for her directional ability to drive business and as a result built substantive collaborative relationships with national and international companies.   Before joining MAPS she spent 15 months working for Business in the Community as their North West Director – during this time she completed three successful and sustainable projects.

 

Wales

Rhian Hughes

Headshot of Rhian Hughes at Money and Pensions Service

Rhian has over 18 years experience of working within the financial inclusion and tackling poverty agenda in Wales.  She was the Financial Inclusion Champion for North Wales.  As well as working closely with Welsh Government, she is also experienced in working with the public, private and third sector to prioritise the financial wellbeing of citizens in Wales.  She has worked closely with local government, housing associations, credit unions and the advice sector across Wales.

More recently, Rhian has worked within the mental health sector in North Wales, firstly for a mental health charity creating new initiatives with partner organisations to support individuals, carers and families with mental health problems to overcome barriers.  Following this, working for DWP supporting staff on mental health awareness and financial wellbeing enabling additional support for customers.  Also building closer working relationships between DWP and other organisations, including the local health board.

Rhian is a fluent Welsh speaker.

 

North West England

James Kelly

James Kelly regional manager for the North West of England

James Kelly is the Regional Manager for the Money and Pensions Service in the North West. His previous role was at Lloyds Banking Group where James developed options to assist customers who were in financial difficulty and / or significant arrears. This included successfully creating and operating the Mortgage Rescue Scheme which worked closely with local councils, debt and homelessness charities to assist vulnerable customers. During this time James was the Deputy Chair of UK Finance’s Arrears and Possessions Panel. He has also held senior roles at the Halifax and is a Board Member for a Housing Association which provides affordable properties to a diverse range of local communities.

 

North East England

Karleen Dowden

Karleen Dowden regional manager for the North East of England

Before joining MaPS, Karleen worked at The Careers & Enterprise Company for five years, where she worked in partnership with a wide range of public, private and third sector stakeholders, including education institutes and businesses. Prior to this, Karleen spent 15 years working in the education sector in a variety of education policy and practice roles.

 

Yorkshire and the Humber

Jenny Wright

Headshot of Jenny Wright at Money and Pensions Service

Jenny joined the Money and Pension Service as the Regional Partnership Manager for Yorkshire and the Humber.  She joins us from Citizens Advice where she was a National Quality Assessor for Pension Wise. Having spent seven years in frontline service delivery, working for Age UK, SCCCC and Citizens Advice, she was able to shape services that make a real difference to the lives of real people. Before working in the third sector Jenny spent 20 years working in the financial services sector. A member of the Area Board, managing a team of retail, business and high net worth financial advisors at HSBC and being a qualified financial advisor herself Jenny is able to draw on her commercial and third sector experience to support organisations to build financial capability for their clients and employees.

 

West Midlands

Dawn Cummins

Headshot of Dawn Cummins at Money and Pensions Service

Dawn Cummins is the Regional Manager for the West Midlands. She has extensive experience of working with stakeholders and partnerships across a range of sectors, having previously worked as a CEO for a small charity where she led strategic engagement for the voluntary sector throughout Northamptonshire.

Dawn also held a senior role at the National Housing Federation working with a wide range of housing associations with a particular emphasis on the West Midlands, East of England and East Midlands. She has extensive experience across the not for profit sector having chaired a housing association board, leading its merger with a larger group to maximise housing development opportunities with an aim to provide more affordable housing for those most in housing need.

 

East of England

Alan Nicholls

Alan Nicholls regional manager for East of England

Alan Nicholls is the Regional Manager for the East of England at the Money and Pensions Service.

Previously he worked at Lloyds Banking Group for 14 years influencing their financial inclusion, financial education, credit union and Universal Credit multi-brand strategies. He served on the group’s East of England Regional Ambassador Executive Committee, as well as attending the Money Advice Service’s financial capability steering groups and UK Finance’s Financial Inclusion and Capability Forum.  Alan is also a board director for Harlowsave Credit Union and trustee for ‘Home’ charity.

 

London

Monica Kaur

Headshot of Monica Kaur, Partnerships Manager for East London

Monica is passionate about helping people to enhance their financial skills and make the most of their money. Her role is to work closely with organisations from the private, public, voluntary/third sectors to support their wellbeing strategies by accessing MaP’s free resources, removing the stigma attached to talking about money and providing impartial advice & guidance.

Prior to joining MaPS, Monica held senior roles within Social Housing and Regeneration.  Monica has led the development and delivery of various strategies, including equality & diversity. Part of this work involved creating frameworks to support the construction industry and employment opportunities for women in various trades.  When not glued to the laptop, Monica is an avid salsa dancer and a committed squash player.

 

London

Victoria Copeland

Headshot of Vicky Copeland at Money and Pensions Service

My main focus as Regional Partnerships Manager is to understand financial wellbeing needs in West London and how I can support them – from employers, local authorities, community groups, business groups and others – helping more people access money and pensions guidance services. I represent my region in discussions around the UK strategy, policy and proposition development. I work with the region to engage key stakeholders and partners in this work.

 

South West England

Paul Fox

Headshot of Paul Fox at Money and Pensions Service

Paul is a highly experienced senior business executive, with a 20 year track record of achievement working across, and collaborating with, sectors including defence, the NHS, education, SMEs, charities, not for profits, and the wider private sector. Previously a managing director, business development director and non-executive director across sectors, I have experience in workplace wellbeing, employee development, governance, strategy, business development and marketing.

 

England

Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison regional manager for England

Scott heads up the regional partnerships team in England, his team is responsible for engagement across the 9 English regions. Previously Scott led on the successful delivery of the What Works Fund and has held a number of partnership roles across the organisation.

Before this, Scott spent a number of years in leadership roles across financial services in retail banking and mortgages through to sub-prime consumer finance, arrears management  and debt advice. This also Included setting up and running his own Debt Management company.

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Managing money in uncertain times

Guides to support your employees and customers affected by the pandemic or rising living costs