Scoping the best Business Debtline product(s)

The Money Advice Trust is the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline.

Alongside advice on the phone and online, for many years we have produced a printed guide to dealing with debt. For National Debtline we revamped this guide in 2018 following an extensive discovery phase using third-party behavioural science experts Ogilvy Change. Business Debtline has always had an equivalent guide for the self-employed audience but we retired the last version in 2019 as it had become out of date. Coronavirus delayed producing a new guide in 2020 but we are now ready to proceed.

The National Debtline guide launched in 2018 is longer than its predecessor and it was an ongoing theme in user testing that for some it is overwhelming and off-putting. The added complexity of business finances means the Business Debtline version will have to be longer if we follow the same format.

The self-employed audience is different to that of National Debtline, and new challenges for businesses have arisen as a result of Coronavirus.

Business Debtline is the only free debt advice service for the self-employed and demand for our phone and webchat services outstrip capacity. Our new guide must be suitable for clients who may not come to Business Debtline first - it needs to work as part of the advice journey for clients of other advice agencies, particularly those with a face to face model.

We are seeking a third-party research agency to help us complete a tailored discovery phase for a new Business Debtline guide, to best meet the needs of this distinct audience and context.

We are looking for a research expert to help us to set out a brief, which would ideally include the following outputs:

1. Does an end to end guide have value for sole traders to use without adviser intervention? Thinking about the evidence from our National Debtline discovery phase and the barriers generally to seeking advice, we need a product that minimises drop-out rates (especially in the context of other advice agencies, and the complexity of advice for the self-employed). 2. What do face to face agencies currently give to people in self-employment who need debt advice? Do they advise them or simply signpost them to Business Debtline? Would a tangible product designed for this purpose help them to better support or prepare these clients for advice? 3. What is the need for a hard-copy product versus digital? Would this be used by other agencies who may have their own digital tools? 4. Is the style of the National Debtline guide suitable for the Business Debtline audience? For example, the behaviour-change techniques and tone of voice.

To apply, please complete an Invitation to Tender submission (attached).

Key dates: 12 noon, 19 March - Deadline for Invitation To Tender responses 23 March - Selection of provider for presentations 24 or 25 March - Provider presentation / interviews 26 March - Target selection date