AQW 232/16-21

Mr Andy Allen MBE
Ulster Unionist Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 27/05/2016
Answered On Date: 15/06/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities how he intends to progress debt advice.

Answer:

Debt advice in Northern Ireland is funded and commissioned by the Money Advice Service (MAS). MAS has awarded a contract to Citizens Advice NI to deliver debt advice in Northern Ireland from April 2016.

My Department has funded the Housing Rights Service £340k for the 2016/2017 year to deliver the Mortgage Debt Advice Service. This service provides free independent mortgage debt advice to people in Northern Ireland.

Debt advice policy became the responsibility of my Department on 9 May 2016. Officials are now considering how debt policy should be progressed and are determining the need for a debt advice strategy for Northern Ireland.