Page 120 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making -(updated - August 2021)

Support and advice

If you need help or advice to decide what to do, you can talk to
your carer, family or friends.

You could also contact a local support organisation who can
provide independent help and support – for example, the
Citizens Advice Bureau. You can find details online, at your
local library or in the telephone directory.

If you need help managing your money please contact the
Money Advice Service….

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.

350 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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