Step-by-Step Guide

CMA itself is a service provider. When you affiliate with CMA you access a range of support and service membership benefits that help you to establish your own, independent, community-based money advice centre. So how does it work?

One - Information & decision

First, you need to obtain a copy of CMA’s Setting Up a Debt Advice Centre booklet. Please contact us for a copy.

Additional copies of the can be purchased through our online resources ‘shop’.

The booklet details seventeen steps from the initial vision for the work through to opening your centre. Having read the booklet you may well have further questions, and if you would like to speak to someone about any part of this process then just click here to contact us.

Two - Affiliation

If you decide that you do want to set up a centre and affiliate with CMA, the next step is to apply for affiliation. You can download a pdf application form or apply online from our application page.

Affiliation gives you:

policy & procedure documentation
CMA’s freephone Adviceline
case management software & support
local support from our Support Managers
special affiliate rates for your generalist & additional CMA training
the CMA annual conference
AdviceUK membership (with benefits including: OFT license; discounted insurance; access to free ongoing training).

Three – Set-up

The Setting Up a Debt Advice Centre booklet details seventeen steps to work through to set up a centre. For a voluntary group, this typically takes between six and nine months.