‘Expert by experience’ is increasingly recognised as an approach to help ensure markets are inclusive, especially for customers in vulnerable circumstances. Charities and people with a lived experience of vulnerability want to increasingly shape the thinking and practice of organisations. 

Most regulators (including the FCA) recognise this and expect firms to consider such an approach. However, just how do organisations practically do this when there are 28 million vulnerable customers (all with different needs) and just 24 hours in a day to make this all work?

Our latest podcast recorded as part of MALG's Virtual Connect, brings together five experts to explain just what an ‘expert by experience’ is, how organisations go about selecting which experts and charities to work with and what difference this engagement can make to the way in which organisations operate.
 
Joining our Vulnerability Lead Consultant, Chris Fitch are:

Multi award-winning disability campaigner and Euan’s Guide Ambassador, Jon Attenborough.

Head of Customer Vulnerability, Strategy, Insight and Engagement at Lloyds Banking Group, and Vulnerability Academy graduate Jane Rodrick.

Chair of the Money Advice Hub, St Georges House Leadership Fellow, and service design innovator, Sam Nurse.

Managing Director at Three Hands, an organisation that brings people with lived experience of vulnerability with organisations who want to understand and connect with the lived experience perspective, Jan Levy.

Head of Corporate Engagement at Fair By Design (funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust), Carl Packman.

www.moneyadvicetrust.org

Lived experience and vulnerability

It is estimated that between 2.5 to 4.3 million people in Britain may be affected by gambling related harm.

With discussion among firms about 'gambling blocks' on customer accounts, and the Gambling Commission mooting a total ban on the use of credit cards for gambling, the sector is going through a time of great change.

To explore these issues, the Trust's Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch is joined at the National Problem Gambling Health Clinic by:

- Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, Director and Founder of the Clinic
- Owen Baily, Campaigner who has lived with a gambling addiction since his 20s
- Natalie Ledward, Vulnerable Customer Specialist at Monzo
- Stuart McFadden, Head of Financial Difficulties at Monzo

Supporting customers with gambling addictions

Our colleagues at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute have recently published their new report on the link between financial difficulty and suicide:

The report is a significant contribution to the vulnerability debate, and raises questions such as what can creditor staff can do to prevent lives being lost to suicide, and what can be achieved in partnership with voluntary sector agencies, charities, and the emergency services.

In our exclusive recording at the Royal London Hospital, the Money Advice Trust's Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch discusses the findings of the report and more with a panel of experts comprising:

 - Katie Evans, Head of Research and Policy at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute
 - Gareth McNab, Money Advice Liaison Manager at Nationwide, who shares his personal experience
 - Rikke Albert, Practice Nurse at the East London Foundation Trust

A discussion on suicide prevention and financial difficulty

Mental health and money can often be closely intertwined.  Recognising this, the financial services sector has taken steps in recent years to improve the ways in which firms understand and address the needs of customers living with a mental health problem, including providing relevant support and help.  

In our exclusive new podcast, the Money Advice Trust's Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch asks two questions:

1. what progress has practically been made on the issue of mental health within financial services?
2. what role should firms play in both identifying and responding to the needs of customers with mental health problems?
Joining him at Lloyds Bank in London’s Square mile, to debate these issues are:

- Martin King, Head of Customer Vulnerability at Lloyds Banking Group.
- Sarah Murphy, Associate Director of Advice at Rethink Mental Illness
- Dan Holloway, writer, a mental health commentator, a previous World Intelligence Champion
- Dr Thomas Richardson, Principal Clinical Psychologist at Solent NHS Foundation Trust, as well as a long-time researcher on financial difficulty and mental health.

A discussion on mental health and financial services

A question often asked about vulnerability, is where does the responsibility of consumers and firms begin and end?

This exclusive podcast, developed in conjunction with UK Finance and the Money Advice Trust for the new Vulnerability Academy programme looks at three main areas:

 - Responsibility of firms: What should we expect as a minimum from firms in terms of identification and support and is this being met?
- Responsibility of consumers: Is it unreasonable to expect a consumer to disclose a vulnerable situation to a firm, rather than requiring a firm to identify this?
- Digital vulnerability: Do digital platforms and banking apps require new thinking around consumer 'responsibility'?

With exclusive podcasts comprising a regular component of the Vulnerability Academy curriculum (see below), this discussion is hosted by the Money Advice Trust's Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch who is joined by:

- Martin King, Head of Customer Vulnerability, Lloyds Banking Group
- Helen Undy, Director, Money and Mental Health Policy Institute.
- Jim Fearnley, Senior Policy Adviser for financial services, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Where does the balance of responsibility lie between customers and firms?

Starting a conversation about vulnerability with a customer can be difficult. Staff need to know what they are trying to identify and how they may be able to support a customer’s set of circumstances.

Our exclusive podcast, developed in conjunction with UK Finance for our joint Vulnerability Academy looks at three main areas for firms to consider:
- Identification - why does identification matter when it comes to vulnerability and who/what are we trying to identify?
- Engagement - how do we move the conversation from identification to support?
- Support - what support that can be given to people in vulnerable situations and where does the responsibility of firms end?

Podcasts comprise a regular component of the Vulnerability Academy curriculum. In this discussion the Money Advice Trust's Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch is joined by:
 
- Debbie Gill, Specialist Support Team Manager, Vanquis Bank.
Morven Lean, Programme Partnerships Officer at the Alzheimer’s Society.
- Dan Clarke, Vulnerable Customer Specialist at Monzo.
- Caroline Wells, Customer Service Expert at the Money Advice Trust and founder of MeIncluded.

Vulnerability: identification and support

In our first ‘Working in a crisis’ recording, designed to help creditor staff working in front-line/customer-facing, management and specialist roles, our Vulnerability Lead Consultant Chris Fitch and customer experience expert Caroline Wells discuss the need to maintain your and your team's resilience and practical tips on how to support your own and your team's wellbeing. 

The podcast covers:
•	Why people react the way they do
•	Practical steps staff can take in the moment
•	Q&A

Subscribe to our Vulnerability Matters newsletter for updates on future webinars and to access e-learning resources for creditors: https://mailchi.mp/moneyadvicetrust.org/working-in-a-crisis

Working in a crisis episode 1: Dealing with your own resilience

Our second ‘Working in a crisis’ recording, to help creditor staff working in front-line/customer-facing, management and specialist roles explores how firms are and should be dealing with customer bereavement.

The podcast covers:
•	How creditors can make a difference in the current context of 
        Covid-19 – to bereaved people.
•	Practical tips on providing a compassionate response. 
•	Taking care of yourself – dealing with loss and simple, clear steps 
        to taking care that may help.

In this discussion the Money Advice Trust's Vulnerability Lead Consultant Chris Fitch is joined by:
•	Andy Langford, Clinical Director, Cruse Bereavement Care.
•	Michael Kennelly, Business Development Director, The Death 
        Notification Service.

Subscribe to our Vulnerability Matters newsletter for updates on future webinars and to access e-learning resources for creditors: https://mailchi.mp/moneyadvicetrust.org/working-in-a-crisis

Working in a crisis episode 2: Dealing with customer bereavement

Welcome to the Vulnerability Matters podcast from the Money Advice Trust. A series that examines from a range of perspectives how firms are supporting consumers in vulnerable situations.