Are StepChange no longer a DRO approved intermediary

Hawjim

Are StepChange no longer a DRO approved intermediary?  I was under the impression when I first contacted them last year that they were but now I have uploaded all of the info they need and I have been recommended a DRO by them online, I have got to apply either via Citizens Advice or Money Wellness.  

RAS

@fatbelly mentioned this recently. He is with CAB.

fatbelly

There was a new regime that came in on 1 Feb.

I think the position is that stepchange are still a 'competent authority' but have taken a commercial decision that as the Money and Pension Service have funded two new DRO Hubs (CA and Gregory Pennington) and stepchange didn't get the contract, then they won't be doing DROs

I've checked at gov.uk and they are indeed still listed but there is a note

"They do not offer DROs directly. If a DRO is the right option for you, they will put you in touch with a provider who will help you apply for one."

AFAIK the DRO hubs are not fully up and running at the moment and stepchange were the second biggest supplier of DROs so this is all a bit unfortunate.

https://debtcamel.co.uk/dro-hubs-how-work/

fatbelly

Money Wellness?

Have Gregory Pennington rebranded themselves again?

sourcrates

fatbelly said:

Money Wellness?

Have Gregory Pennington rebranded themselves again?

I believe they have yes.

The game keeper becomes the poacher, or vice versa.

fatbelly

Will be interested to see how well this works.

Stepchange DRO clients being referred to CA or 'Money wellness'

CA totally overloaded.

GP (in disguise) given the opportunity to sell an IVA.


Another example of MaPS chucking a load of money at something and making the problem worse.

fatbelly

Just another thought - you do not have to have your DRO submitted through the new 'hubs' - well not yet anyway.

Other 'competent authorities' who are still doing them are 

AdviceUK.

Christians Against Poverty

Community Money Advice

MoneyPlus Advice

Payplan

Shelter (England and Wales)

JonVarnas

Shame that. I did my DRO through Stepchange a couple of years ago and they were excellent.

fatbelly

fatbelly said:

Will be interested to see how well this works.

Stepchange DRO clients being referred to CA or 'Money wellness'

CA totally overloaded.

GP (in disguise) given the opportunity to sell an IVA.


Another example of MaPS chucking a load of money at something and making the problem worse.

It looks like they threw money at this that they didn't have and regular debt advisers now face redundancy because of their incompetence

https://www.responsible-credit.org.uk/posts/debt-advice-redundancies-increasingly-likely

https://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/unite-for-a-workers-economy-campaign/latest-campaign-news/save-debt-advice-day-of-action/

Hawjim

fatbelly said:

Just another thought - you do not have to have your DRO submitted through the new 'hubs' - well not yet anyway.

Other 'competent authorities' who are still doing them are 

AdviceUK.

Christians Against Poverty

Community Money Advice

MoneyPlus Advice

Payplan

Shelter (England and Wales)

Any recommendations please?  GP / Money Wellness in disguise tried to sell me an IVA today, despite me meeting the conditions of a DRO so am back to square one and panicking.  I am a week into Breathing Space so am keen to get the DRO started asap.

MalMonroe

That's really upsetting. I've signed the petition.  

StepChange helped me so much. And if CA lose most of their advisers, who will be left to help people in crisis?

What an appalling state of affairs. Only the other week on his show Martin was singing the praises of, and recommending, StepChange and CA. Hopefully he will be putting his point of view forward. Somewhere, soon.

There are supposed to be over two million members on this forum, can we not all sign the petition? (Where are those two million?)

At a time when this country is in a cost of living crisis. Unbelievable.