Page 119 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

4.46 Whilst Citizens Advice provides an excellent service and is a great source of
advice and support, as discussed above, it will not be the best place for all
claimants to access advice and support and there are numerous other
organisations that offer benefits advice. It also does not have the capacity to
provide benefits advice to all claimants. Further, even though it is signposted
to, no contact details or information about how to get in touch with local
bureaux are provided.

4.47 By comparison the Financial Conduct Authority requires all debt collection
firms to signpost customers to the Money Advice Service. The Money
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Advice Service provides its own guides and information on managing money
and has its own tools such as the “Money Manager” for people on Universal
Credit, it also has a debt advice locator tool, which provides information on
where people can get debt advice either online, over the phone or in-person.
The in-person section allows individuals to search for local services using
their postcode or current location.

4.48 We recognise that the big question in relation to improving signposting is who
do you signpost to? We understand why DWP currently signposts to Help to
Claim, which they fund, and Citizens Advice more generally which provides a
national network of advice centres and is well known and established.
However, we think that more can and should be done. We therefore
recommend that there should be a single access ‘portal’ which provides
information on organisations providing welfare benefits advice and
which should be clearly signposted to on all webpages that provide
information on benefits, throughout the UC online application process,
on paper-based forms and in all decision letters and mandatory
reconsideration notices.

345 From June 2021 Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise will be
brought together and rebranded as MoneyHelper.

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