2. The debt advice system
The debt advice system is a structured set of procedures and actions that should be worked through if you are to provide the best possible service to someone with debt issues.
It is designed to:
•maintain the client’s home, liberty and essential goods and services;
•advise the client about their rights and responsibilities, and also the rights of their creditors;
•give the client the information they need to make informed choices to deal with their debt situation;
•treat all creditors equally;
•empower the client, where possible.
A systematic approach is essential because of:
•the large amount of information and paperwork generated by most debt enquiries and the need to avoid overlooking a particular strategy;
•the need to keep detailed records of the agency’s work – both to ensure effective advice and follow-up, but also to enable case material to be used for evaluating the service, quality of advice assessments, peer reviews and for social policy development;
•the need to train new workers in a clearly defined set of skills and knowledge;
•the need to guarantee consistency despite the diversity of clients using the service;
•the need to protect the adviser from the strain of having continually to ‘re-invent the wheel’.
However, the system should not be seen as a straitjacket, and it does not prevent you working creatively and flexibly in the best interests of your client. Different agencies need to develop their own systems based on demand and resources, as well as any funders’ requirements.
You must undertake a wide range of tasks to provide effective help to clients. In practice, the tasks may not necessarily be carried out in the order in which they are presented, and some tasks can be carried out simultaneously – eg, maximising income while waiting for information needed to check the client’s liability for their debts. It is also common for tasks to be carried out more than once over the lifecycle of a case.