Debt Talk CIC has today submitted its response to the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) Early Market Engagement on the future of nationally accessible debt advice in England.
Our response is grounded in original community research carried out in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with British Bangladeshi residents, people with lived experience of debt, advice practitioners, health professionals and community organisations.
The research highlights barriers that many people face before they ever reach a debt adviser, including:
- Cultural stigma and shame surrounding debt.
- Shared family finances that do not fit traditional budgeting models.
- Faith-related barriers to mainstream financial solutions.
- Language and digital exclusion.
- A lack of trust in statutory and mainstream services.
We believe that creating a truly inclusive debt advice system requires more than increasing capacity. It requires listening to communities, understanding lived experience and designing services that people trust and can access with confidence.
In our submission, Debt Talk calls for:
- Culturally competent specialist pathways alongside mainstream provision.
- Stronger partnerships between national providers and trusted community organisations.
- Greater investment in community-led research and evidence.
- Earlier intervention to prevent financial crises.
- A debt advice system that measures trust, engagement and long-term outcomes—not just volumes.
Alongside our response, we have shared our consultation report, "Breaking Point to Breaking Through: Debt, Dignity and Demand for Bangladeshi Focused Financial Support," which captures the voices and experiences of the community.
We thank the Money and Pensions Service for inviting contributions to this important conversation. We look forward to continuing to work with partners across the sector to help build a debt advice system that is fairer, more accessible and responsive to the needs of all communities.
