Policy and External Affairs
CMA’s Policy & External Affairs team supports and undergirds the frontline work of our centres. We pay attention to our advisers’ observations and our clients’ concerns. We amplify their voices to address underlying structural issues – recognising that policy changes can make a huge difference to people’s lives.
Since 2021 the UK has been gripped by a cost-of-living crisis, which has pushed millions into problem debt and negative budgets. This crisis was already beginning to form before the pandemic, as CMA began to see a shift from clients struggling primarily with consumer debt or unexpected life-shocks, to clients utilising debt to survive.
In this difficult environment we partner with other charities, think tanks, regulators and government to increase accessibility of advice, tackle the root causes of problem debt and ensure those experiencing debt are treated with dignity and respect.
Day to day this means:
- Taking an active part in sector meetings e.g. Debt Sector with Stepchange, CitA, CAP et al.
- Gathering input from our clients and advisors to feed into reviews/enquiries e.g. The Insolvency Service’s Personal Insolvency Review.
- Contributing to shaping of new standards bodies e.g. formation of the Enforcement Conduct Board.
- Working with a smaller group of CMA centres from across the nation to gain more in-depth data and inform CMA campaigns.
- Improving collection and analysis of data to better measure and grow our impact, increase understanding of our clients and broader trends.
- Supporting sector wide campaigns: Guarantee Our Essentials (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Trussell Trust and 200+ others), Advice UK’s #AdviceMatters and Let’s End Poverty.
To contact the CMA Policy & External Affairs Team please email [email protected].