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Scottish Legal Aid Board

Improving the Debt Advice Journey

Programme 2020 - 23

Underpinning sustainable, effective and user-centred debt

advice in Scotland

Grant Funding Programme 2020 - 2023

Guidance notes for applicants

This document contains background information, guidance and conditions of eligibility for the programme, to help you to complete the grant funding application form. All information is available at www.slab.org.uk

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Contents

1. Improving the Debt Advice Journey Programme 2020 - 2023 ................................. 3

2. How to complete your application ................................................................. 6

3. Our application process ............................................................................ 15

4. Timescales; how and where to send completed applications; key contacts ............. 19

Appendix A – Links to further reading............................................................... 20

Appendix B – Criteria assessment .................................................................... 21

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1. Improving the Debt Advice Journey Programme 2020 -

2023 Programme background and context In January 2019 the responsibility for the allocation of the Scottish element of the debt advice funds raised from the levy on the credit industry was devolved to the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government's vision is for a free debt advice service that is user centred, collaborative and sustainable as set out in the Scottish Government Debt Advice Routemap1. Learning from this programme will feed into the Scottish Government’s planned commissioning strategy to support the delivery of free debt advice funded by the levy from 2023. Programme purpose This programme will fund projects which test ideas which help manage the demand for assistance from advice services. We are looking for projects which, for example, look at digital support or introduce other specific tools or methods; or seeks additional staff costs to help improve effective access to current debt advice or is needed to support the development or implementation of the specific tools or method. Proposals which are for additional debt advice posts will not meet the funding criteria. Projects should be able to test how to improve the management of the demand for services by relieving pressures or restrictions on capacity at key stages. Projects can be targeted:

At one or more of the key stages of the debt advice journey specified in the guidance, e.g. managing intake; and

At people using advice services or people involved in providing or managing advice, e.g. supervision and training support for advisors.

In this guidance we set out the key types of intervention we are looking for in project proposals (pages 8-9). Projects which use these key types of intervention to support the delivery of advice throughout either phase of the Covid-19 emergency will also be considered for funding2.

1 A Debt Advice Routemap for Scotland https://www.gov.scot/publications/debt-advice-routemap-scotland/ 2 Coronavirus (Covid-19): Scotland’s route map https://www.gov.scot/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-scotlands-route-map/

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Funding availability, priority coverage and eligibility The funding available is: 2020-21 - £650,000 2021-22 - £1.3 million 2022-23 - £1.3 million Projects can cover the lifetime of the programme - up to 31 March 2023, but funding may be available for short-life projects. Maximum funding per project: £100,000 per annum. Exceptionally, projects beyond this amount may be considered, e.g. for a nationwide project. There is no requirement for the programme to achieve national coverage. Applicants must be agencies that provide independent free debt advice. This includes local or national third sector organisations, local authorities, Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and law centres. Applicants do not need to involve a partnership of agencies, although proposals could involve or directly benefit a number of agencies. Proposals could test an initiative at a local or individual agency level that could be used by others. Applicants must provide a current equality and diversity policy covering staff and clients to be eligible for the programme. Successful applicants to the programme must demonstrate a willingness to work in partnership with the Improvement Service as part of an evaluation focusing on commissioning models for debt levy funding. Application assessment criteria

Applications must set out sufficient information to allow assessment include the

following information which will be assessed against the following assessment

criteria:

1. The proposal describes the demand-related issue or blockage(s) that the proposal is designed to tackle, and the specific stage(s) in the debt advice process that this has created a pressure for the agency.

2. The application clearly describes the test intervention(s) to be implemented and the stage in the debt advice process it will be used.

3. There is a clear rationale for the proposal. The improvement sought from the intervention(s) is clearly described with improved outcomes for users identified.

4. The proposal has applicability beyond the programme lifetime and can improve outcomes at the strategic level. In particular the project intervention(s) could be replicated more widely beyond the funded agency.

5. The applicant evidences that the project development plan and implementation timescales are achievable within the time period.

6. The applicant can demonstrate relevant experience and expertise in delivering this type of project.

7. The applicant can demonstrate that the organisations within the proposal are

working in compliance with or are committed to achieving Scottish National

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Standards for Information and Advice Providers in the debt advice

competencies.

8. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to equality and will promote

equality, accessibility and diversity. Applicants must provide a current equality

and diversity policy to be considered for funding. The applicant should;

a. Include where relevant whether the intervention could, either in the

test or in any subsequent scaling up of the intervention, address

improving access for one or more equality group(s).

b. Address if and how any reasonable adjustments/accessibility features,

including those designed to reduce language barriers, would be built

into the project.

In addition the applicant must demonstrate that:

9. The budget is appropriate and relevant financial controls are in place.

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2. How to complete your application This section provides detailed guidance for filling out your application for funding.

Section A. Information about your organisation In this section give the contact details of key individuals in your organisation. Please read our data protection statement in the application form. This gives further information about how we treat your data.

Main contact details (A1 and A2) Please give the contact details for the main contact. As we may contact you to discuss the application this person should be able to talk about your proposal in depth. Please include the contact information for the person who will be responsible for financial reporting, if different from the main contact. Please let us know if either person has any specific communication needs.

Contact details and status of your organisation (A3 and A4) Please give the contact details and status of your organisation. If you are a charity, make sure you provide your OSCR or the Charity Commission registration number.

Section B. About your organisation’s work Section B is about your organisation. This is where you should tell us about the types of service that you already deliver. We will use this to assess how well placed you are to deliver the project.

Overview (B1) Provide an overview of your organisation, focusing on your debt advice and information services and how that fit between your main purpose and activities and debt advice. Larger organisations (such as local authorities) should give information relevant to the specific team or department which is submitting the proposal. Tell us about the debt advice you deliver and how you provide this. Let us know:

how clients currently reach debt advice services;

the number of new clients helped per year;

the demographic profile of clients if available;

your primary advice delivery channels e.g. face to face, phone etc;

the type of debts presented to services, e.g. whether clients approach you for help with consumer debt or housing debt or a mix; and

the type of help you are able to provide, using the types as described in the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Provision of advice & information, casework and representation3.

Be clear about the geographic area your agency covers. Give the local authority area(s) or whether you provide national coverage.

3 SNSIAP descriptions can be found at: https://www.slab.org.uk/advice-agencies/scottish-national-standards-for-information-and-advice-partners/types-of-information-and-advice-under-the-snsiap/

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Staff providing advice and information in your organisation (B2) Tell us how many staff provide advice and information in your organisation. For local authorities, information should be provided for the relevant team/department. Please complete with Full Time Equivalent (FTE).

Organisational standards (B3) Tell us about the advice standards your organisation holds. Please confirm if you hold or are awaiting accreditation to Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers and for which Type of Advice.

Section C. The Application

About your project (C1) Tell us the name of your project and the contact details of the project manager who will be in charge of the project if successful. This can be different to the contact given in Section A1. If this is a partnership proposal, give the name of each partner organisation who will receive the funding. Please ensure that each partner agency applying for grant funding completes a partner application form.

Project Design & Remit (C2a) The table in the application form is designed to focus on the key elements of your project and give a thorough overview of your proposal. The examples described below are not exhaustive. We are looking for projects which identify the problem and explain why the solution you suggest is a practicable one.

i. What is the problem you are trying to tackle? Describe the barrier(s), at what stage of a client’s advice journey the barrier is encountered and its impact. The barrier can be experienced by either the client (or prospective client) or debt advisers, or your service. The stages are:

Initial Access to your service;

Early Diagnosis for the client, identifying that it is a debt advice related issue;

Progress to resolution - carrying out advice/casework and achieving case resolution;

Effective Exit from the debt advice process. This may include making sure people know what to do after the formal debt advice process is complete.

Use the free text area to give an overview of the issues your proposal aims to address. Explain how you have identified the impact on your services and clients and if you can state how you have measured the impact.

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This could include:

• the time it takes to see an adviser; • the readiness of clients when they see an adviser for the first time; • the number of repeat clients you see; • problems of continued engagement with clients.

Measures you are able to identify here are likely to be sort of measures we would use to track the impact of your project.

ii. What your proposed intervention is and how it would work

Provide a description of your solution to the barrier you have identified and how it

will work.

Your project may focus on tackling a problem at one stage of the debt advice journey described in Section C2a(i), but the impact for the user may be at other stages in their journey through the debt advice process. You should make clear whether the intervention will be implemented at the same stage as the problem or at a different stage. We are looking for projects which use digital, tools or methods of working or alternative people resources to resolve the problem. The table below sets out examples of each and outlines the type of information we will require to assess your proposal.

Intervention type Outline

Digital or technology or multi-channel work

Give a description of the technology you are seeking funding for. Explain how this will fit into your current delivery model and the specific benefits it will bring to the user. If this is a product, provide links to the provider or to the product details. If you are planning to develop a technology, please tell about this, including:

who will develop the technology;

how it will be implemented;

who will be responsible for its maintenance during the project lifetime

who will own the technology at the end of the project? If you intend to employ staff to support the implementation or operation of your chosen intervention, please describe their role in this section.

Tools or methods of working

Proposals may for example seek to:

put in place new ways of working such as triage services;

improve the automation of simple process at specific points in the debt advice journey;

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Intervention type Outline

develop tools to support technical casework supervision for advisers;

design and deliver debt advice training for debt advice staff.

You should tell us:

who will develop the tool or method you are implementing;

how it will be implemented;

who will be responsible for the tool during the lifetime of the project; and

whether you plan to continue using the tool or method beyond the end of the project

People Staff posts could be used to facilitate or enable access to the current provision of debt help or help the effectiveness of current debt advice, e.g. a support worker providing initial help to clients before they receive advice from a debt adviser. Where proposals for people resources are connected to the operation of a Tool, Method of Working or a Technology, these should be described under those headings. Please remember that the programme is not providing funding for additional debt advice posts. Please tell us:

what the staff will do to support the provision of debt advice;

how they will fit into your current organisation.

Your rationale (C2b) Tell us why you think the intervention will achieve the intended improvement. Explain the change you expect to see and what difference this will make to your users. Tell us what you think will happen as a result of your project. What does success look like with reference to the problem you’ve identified, for your agency and for people seeking help with their debt problems? If your project addresses barriers for one or more equality group(s), tell us which equalities groups. Identify and define the impacts of the proposed work and the outcomes. Impacts could be for your whole client group or for some of your client groups with specific barriers that you have identified. Impacts could include the measures you identified at C2a(i) or:

improving demand management for services;

increasing capacity in services;

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freeing up time for debt advisers to spend time with people who need more support;

supporting quality of advice delivery;

achieving change in how people reach your organisation

any potential to advance equality of opportunity in debt advice provision for equality group(s).

Include evidence that you have used to identify why you think the proposal could work. Evidence may include:

examples from other agencies or sectors who have implemented similar interventions;

work you have already carried out to test on a small scale or in other areas of your service;

work you have carried out to understand user need in the proposal design including impact on equality groups.

Project potential for broader impact (C3) The Programme is seeking proposals which could have wider use beyond your own

agency and beyond the funding period.

Tell us about any broader impact you have identified and why you think your intervention could achieve this broader impact:

How the solution could be replicated or scaled up for a wider audience, range of agencies, geographic area or across other areas of advice delivery (beyond debt). You should tell us which types of agency and the audience(s) that may benefit from replicating the learning from your proposal.

The proposals long-term added value for your organisation beyond the funding period, and for any project partners.

The proposal will score additional marks under Criteria 8 if there could be a broader impact in promoting equality and reducing any barriers for specific equality groups when scaling up. Your project does not need to be specifically focussed on equalities groups to meet this criteria: but that broader application of your proposal – for example using technology - could have an equalities impact.

Project Implementation

The project plan (C4a) The project plan should include:

Key milestones related to project start-up. Tell us who will be responsible for activity. You should assume that your project start-up activity will take place towards the start of 2021, unless you propose a later start-up date.

Set out the routine work that the project will do during the course of the lifetime. Reflect in the plan the timing of specific activity such as training courses or development of tools. Provide milestones linked to project monitoring.

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The project plan should demonstrate where reasonable adjustments/ accessibility features associated with development will be built in.

Your exit plan. Provide the milestones linked to exit from the funding programme. Projects will close no later than 31 March 2023, although you may choose an earlier date for a development project. You should give a clear outline of how you expect to embed the learning beyond the programme lifetime - we are looking for a description showing how the impact will be sustainable beyond the funding period. Exit milestones must be clear and well managed.

Project management arrangements (C4b) Use this section to describe your project management arrangements. These arrangements should ensure that your proposed project is established successfully.

Please describe the arrangements for the following areas:

How the project will be established and the partnership arrangements, if applicable.

How you will develop the project once it’s been established.

How you will monitor project progress.

How you will monitor impacts

How you will deal with risks and issues that arise over the course of the project lifetime. Provide an overview of what you have identified as the main risks relating to the setup and delivery of the project.

A clear description of the management oversight of the proposed project. This is not a description of current organisational management and should focus on the project for which you are seeking funding. Where appropriate, provide a description or a project specific organogram explaining how management roles will be set out and how this links to project delivery.

We also expect your proposal to provide evidence of the following:

How you will plan and allocate project resources over the lifetime of the project.

If you are employing staff, who will manage project staff and how they will be supervised.

If the project is being delivered across multiple sites, outline how this will be managed.

If your proposal is a partnership proposal you must include:

Detail of the management of partnership organisations.

Detail of how other arrangements with partner organisations will work. For example, how work will be allocated; the responsibility for meeting objectives; frequency of contact between partners and how issues between partners will be identified and dealt with.

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Project management experience (C5) Give an overview of the expertise and experience in managing the type of project you’re applying for. This should include information about previous project management. Section D. Equalities

Equalities (D1) A current equality and diversity policy must be provided with your application to be considered for funding. Tell us about whether and how your project will promote equality of opportunity in relation to one or more of the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010 - these include age, disability, race, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy or maternity, marriage or civil partnership. Projects that will target people who are care experienced are also welcome. Use this section to describe any reasonable adjustments/accessibility features including language barriers associated with the interventions that will be built into the project. Project funding is available for support for reasonable adjustments including support to reduce language barriers identified in the proposal.

Section E. Financial Information

Project budget cost (E1) Please enter the total cost of the project

Project budget spreadsheet (E2) Please download and complete the budget spreadsheet from this link. We encourage all applicants to set out anticipated costs when deciding how much funding to apply for. Types of direct costs Direct costs incurred for the project may include:

Tools & Technology costs

Project development and governance: publicity and marketing, training development, other materials, support tools, strategic development and planning, monitoring and evaluation, board meetings.

Project Staff: - salary-related: salary, National Insurance, pension contributions; - other: training, recruitment, health and safety, travel.

Premises: rent, utilities, repairs and maintenance.

Administration: communication, IT, stationery, other consumables.

Compliance: legal fees, other compliance costs.

Other: financing fees, bank charges, other.

Types of overhead costs Overhead costs (including irrecoverable VAT) will be considered if it relates to expenditure necessary for the operation of the project: VAT may be incurred and allocated to a project:

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Staff: staff not exclusive to one project;

Salary: salary, National Insurance, pension contributions;

Other: training, recruitment, health and safety, travel.

Premises: rent, utilities, repairs and maintenance.

Administration: communication, IT, stationery, other consumables.

Project development and governance: publicity and marketing, strategic development and planning, monitoring and evaluation, board meetings.

Compliance: audit fees, legal fees, other compliance costs.

Other: financing fees, bank charges, other. We will not consider expenditure for the following areas:

Fundraising: it is not likely directly linked to a project.

Campaigning: it is not likely directly linked to a project.

Depreciation: it relates to a cost previously incurred. Allocation of overhead costs There are different methods that can be used for the allocation of overhead costs. Using more than one method may be appropriate if not all projects incur all types of overhead expenditure. These methods, and when they may be appropriate, include:

Staff time: where there are staff that provide input into many different projects, these costs may be allocated based on the amount of time the staff member is spending on each project.

Number of staff: if the number of project staff fairly reflects the size of the projects; adjustments for part-time staff and volunteers need to be considered.

Premises usage by project: where premise costs are substantial in relation to direct costs.

Direct project expenditure: if the type of direct costs are very similar in all projects, and overhead costs are small compared to direct costs.

Number of beneficiaries: if each beneficiary incurs a similar level of costs or if funding is based on a number of beneficiaries.

This is not an exhaustive list. Each overhead allocation will be agreed on a case by case basis. The allocation of overheads should be reasonable, proportionate, and reflects the costs incurred for the funded objective. All costs should be recovered only once. This is important to keep in mind where there are multiple funders for an organisation. Additional information If your application is successful we will ask you to complete a more detailed project budget template to be used during budget negotiations. We may also require other details, including your bank details.

Other funding applications for this work (E3) Please tell us whether you have applied for other funding for this work. Also set out if you are applying for match funding from other sources for this project.

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Other funding currently received by your organisation (E4) Please tell us about any changes to your funding since your last published accounts. Tell us about what the change is, the purpose and when this has taken effect.

Other funding over the period of the project (E5) Set out any significant changes of funding that is planned to March 2023.

Section F. Checklist Make sure you provide us with the relevant documents listed, where applicable

Constitution, or memorandum and articles

Your most recent annual report

Your most recent audited accounts or accounts submitted to OSCR* or the Charity Commission.

If you are a public sector organisation, your team/department’s most recent outturn statement.

Your equality and diversity policy *Accounts submitted to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator must have level two validation. Any exception reports should be highlighted.

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3. Our application process

Applying for funding We encourage organisations to make a single application focusing on the key programme element. Organisations can make multiple applications for funding. Where multiple applications are submitted, they should be distinct in their intended focus and priority.

Guidance for applications by a single organisation If you are making an application involving one organisation, you only need to complete the ‘Grant application form: Lead organisation’.

Specific guidance for collaborative applications Collaborative applications involving a number of applications are possible. Only the lead organisation needs to complete the whole application form entitled ‘Grant application form: Lead organisation’. Each project partner should complete and sign a copy of the form entitled ‘Grant application form: Partner organisation’. Please ensure that the same project name is entered in section C1 on the lead and section D on the partner application forms. Organisations involved in a collaborative application will need to agree which organisation is to be the lead organisation. All communications between SLAB and the applicant will be made to the lead organisation. We will usually only communicate with the contact named in the application form, although we may wish to speak to lead contacts in partner organisations. You should consider the following requirements that flow from being the lead organisation. The lead organisation will be responsible for:

the financial monitoring and performance monitoring of the project as a whole and reporting on this to SLAB;

ensuring all partner organisations are financially viable;

informing SLAB if the financial status of any partner organisation deteriorates over the time of the project;

ensuring the costs relating to partner organisations are fair and reasonable, avoiding double charging of overheads;

ensuring that partners have adequate systems in place for collection of monitoring data;

ensuring the partners abide by the terms and conditions which we agree with you as the lead organisation, including auditing arrangements;

ensuring that SLAB receives any grant repayments which might be necessary. Please upload documentation relating to the lead organisation and all partners together. Please note that we may assess your application on receipt if you submit

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before the deadline and in this event you will not have an opportunity to resubmit or update your application for any reason.

Decision-making process and timetable Our deadline for receiving completed applications is 9.30am on Monday 16 November 2020. The assessment process will consist of two stages. The first involves an assessment against the criteria described on page 4. A shortlist of projects will progress to a programme building stage. This will consider the opportunities and risks within each proposal. We aim to build a programme which achieves the aims agreed with Scottish Government. We will contact all applicants with the outcome of their application.

Freedom of information SLAB is a Scottish public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and it is subject to the requirements of that Act. People seeking information (including information about grant applications, contracts and tenders) are entitled to receive that information unless it is exempt from disclosure. In accordance with our Freedom of Information Publication Scheme, we will publish information regarding successful applications on our website. When you apply for a grant, please let us know if there are any elements which would substantially prejudice your commercial or other interests if they were made public. However if we consider there is a public interest in publishing the information, we may do so nonetheless.

Terms and conditions Terms and conditions, including the schedule of payments and monitoring arrangements, will be finalised before projects open. Monitoring The precise monitoring and evaluation framework will be agreed between SLAB and your organisation within two months of the offer of grant being made. We expect the monitoring and evaluation of the project to be based on the information you provide in Section C of the application form along with a number of generic indicators which will allow us to measure the achievement of projects in the programme. Evaluation You should not include evaluation costs in your application. If you are successful, we will send you an explanation of the purpose and methods of any evaluation. You will have the opportunity to comment on how the project is represented in any evaluation.

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The Improvement Service are looking at different commissioning models for debt advice services for the Scottish Government4. They are considering the impact of models of providing funding, including those by an independent agency through grants. Successful applicants may be invited to take part in an evaluation focusing on the impact of different approaches for change and innovation projects for advice agencies. Technical support We are unable to provide advice technical advice on individual applications and we will be unable to provide technical support for successful applicants. Audit requirements If requested, you must make all necessary paperwork, equipment and premises connected to the grant project available for inspection by SLAB’s internal and external auditors. Decision letter Our usual process is to offer successful applicants a grant by letter within five business days of the final decision. You must sign and return the grant offer to us within ten business days. We may be required to put in place alternative arrangements due to Covid-19 and we will inform you of any changes at the time. Publicity We will publicise successful applications on our website and in a news release. This may include the names of the organisations involved, the name of the project and the amount of funding awarded. Quality requirements We expect that all successful projects will adhere to the standards required to maintain high quality advice for clients. This includes working in compliance with the Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers (SNSIAP). We expect that projects address equality issues, collect client feedback where appropriate on a regular basis and maintain key relationships with stakeholders which underpin the success of the project. Grant payments We will make the first payment at the start of the grant term. All subsequent payments will be made quarterly after we have received the previous quarter’s financial return and current quarter’s estimate of expenditure. You will also send us your agreed monitoring framework before we pay each grant instalment. You should send us this information 14 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. We will normally pay money electronically into your organisations bank account. We will make the payment within 30 calendar days after we receive the information, provided it is satisfactory.

4 Debt Advice Models Preliminary Report 2019 The Improvement Service

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We will consider making an advance payment for start-up expenses and capital items once the signed agreement is in place. This is SLAB’s proposed payment plan. In exceptional circumstances, we may agree an alternative payment plan.

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4. Timescales; how and where to send completed

applications; key contacts

Timescales Please send us completed application forms by 9.30am on Monday 16 November. We plan to assess applications by the end of November 2020. Terms and conditions, including the schedule of payments and monitoring arrangements will be finalised prior to the opening of the programme. Projects should be up and running by 2021.

How and where to send completed applications We would prefer to receive applications using our secure upload system ShareFile. If you are going to submit an application, you need to notify us no later than Thursday 12 November, so that we can provide you with ShareFile access. Please email us at grantfunding@slab.org.uk with a note of intention to apply. Due to Covid-19 we are not able to accept applications in hard copy. If you need to submit your application using an alternative method, please email us. When you apply using ShareFile, we will acknowledge the application by email. If you have not received an acknowledgement within five working days of sending an application, please get in touch with us.

Please get in contact if you would like the application materials in a different format.

Who to contact If you wish to discuss how to complete your application form, please contact: Raphael Bleakley 0131 240 1883 grantfunding@slab.org.uk

Please remember the closing date for grant funding applications is 9.30am on Monday 16 November

Issued by: Scottish Legal Aid Board Policy & Development Department Thistle House 91 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh EH12 5HE www.slab.org.uk

Applying for our grant funding programme 2020

Issued by the Scottish Legal Aid Board October 2020 20 | P a g e

Appendix A – Links to further reading

The Improvement Service

A preliminary report on potential funding models and delivery approaches which

could be used to allocate the levy funding devolved to the Scottish Government for

debt advice, August 2019.

Scottish Government Debt Advice Routemap

Scottish Government’s vision for a user-centred, collaborative and sustainable free

debt advice system in Scotland, published December 2019.

Scottish Government Tackling Problem Debt Group 2018-19

Scottish Government’s background to their Tackling Problem Debt Group.

Money Advice Scotland

Capturing Experience of Debt Advice, March 2020.

Money Advice Service

Opportunities and challenges in the debt advice sector, July 2017.

Money and Pensions Service

Reducing missed appointments using behavioural science, October 2019.

Applying for our grant funding programme 2020

Issued by the Scottish Legal Aid Board October 2020 21 | P a g e

Appendix B – Criteria assessment Applications will be assessed against the following Criteria. The table below sets

out the sections from the application form where evidence will be sought for each.

Criteria Application form section

1. The proposal describes the demand-related issue or blockage(s) that the proposal is designed to tackle, and the specific stage(s) in the debt advice process that this has created a pressure for the agency.

C2a column i

2. The application clearly describes the test intervention(s) to be implemented and the stage in the debt advice process it will be used.

C2a column ii

3. There is a clear rationale for the proposal. The improvement sought from the intervention(s) is clearly described with improved outcomes for users identified.

C2b

4. The proposal has applicability beyond the programme lifetime and can improve outcomes at strategic level. In particular the project intervention(s) could be replicated more widely beyond the funded agency.

C3

5. The applicant evidences that the project development plan and implementation timescales are achievable within the time period.

C4a, C4b

6. The applicant can demonstrate relevant experience and expertise in delivering this type of project.

C5

7. The applicant can demonstrate that the organisations within the proposal are working in compliance with or are committed to achieving Scottish National Standards for Information and Advice Providers in the debt advice competencies.

B3

8. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to equality and will promote equality, accessibility and diversity. Applicants must provide a current equality and diversity policy to be considered for funding. The applicant should;

a. Include where relevant whether the intervention could, either in the test or in any subsequent scaling up of the intervention, address improving access for one or more equality group(s).

b. Address if and how any reasonable adjustments/accessibility features, including those designed to reduce language barriers, would be built into the project.

C2, C3 D1

9. The budget is appropriate and relevant financial controls are in place.

Section E, Excel budget sheet