MaPS responds to WADA call for contract extensions

The Money and Pensions Service has responded positively to WADA’s call for regional contracts to be extended. In an e-mail to WADA and Yvonne Fovargue MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Debt and Personal Finance, MaPS’ Chief Executive, Caroline Siarkiewicz, has confirmed that “from 1 February 2023, we will put in place further grants for our current regional providers whilst we continue to work with them and other stakeholders to shape our longer-term plans.”

Further details of the new grant agreements are expected to be announced in the Autumn following “final approval” from the Department for Work and Pensions.

The e-mail also provides some further detail and the likely timeframe for further consultation with the sector and wider stakeholders concerning the future of community based services:

“For the longer-term, the MaPS Board has agreed a three-phased approach to shape our future community-based debt advice commissioning, namely, an evidence gathering phase, a consultation on our findings and proposals and finally a procurement phase to mobilise our plans. While this exercise will primarily focus on community-based services, we will also use it to inform and shape our broader long-term plans for debt commissioning in future.

The evidence gathering phase will operate for approximately the next year. Consideration of the needs of service users, the impact of the pandemic and ongoing increases in cost of living will be a primary goal of that work. MaPS will work collaboratively with the sector and broader stakeholders in delivering this exercise. We anticipate undertaking full consultation on our future plans for debt advice commissioning in late 2023. Whilst the three phase approach to future commissioning is ongoing, it is very important for us to ensure continuation of service to clients in community based settings.”

Finally, MaPS also intends to “establish an adviser panel during this financial year which will have broad representation from the sector to ensure that the views and experiences of those working with clients every day are taken into consideration.”

WADA welcomes these developments, although the details of the proposed grant agreements from February 2023 onwards will be key to restoring confidence in MaPS and enabling recruitment to take place to vacant positions in community based agencies. We therefore continue to call for the new grant agreements to run to 2025 at the earliest, and for funding to be increased to enable advice agencies to meet cost-of-living pressures for their staff.