I currently work closely with the Money Advice Trust on their vulnerability and essential services training, consultancy, and change management programme. This has involved work with over 350 firms, more than 35000 staff, across multiple regulated sectors and channels (digital, telephony, and face-to-face), all business areas (from credit provision through to collections, from fraud to customer retention), and in both off-shore and on-shore settings. Further information on our work can be found at: http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org.uk/vulnerability

Along with Jamie Evans and Sharon Collard, we are running two large-scale research studies on the experience of working with customers in vulnerable situations among (a) debt collection staff and (b) credit provision staff. This work is funded by the Finance & Leasing Association and The UK Cards Association, with the first major output (our '21 steps' guide for debt collection) being published on the 21st of March, and the next guide on credit applications and vulnerability being scheduled for June 14th, 2017. More information on this is available at www.pfrc.bris.ac.uk

I led my own programme of work (which is still ongoing, but in two different hosts - see above) which focused on providing professionals from different sectors with the tools and skills needed to realistically work with individuals reporting these dual problems. Among its successes, the programme has resulted in work with over 5000 frontline staff from more than 200 creditor organisations in effective techniques for working with customers with mental health problem, mental capacity limitations, and in other types of vulnerable situations; the provision of guidance on the making of significant revisions about mental health within the Lending Code; the development of the OFT’s guidance on mental capacity and lending, and ongoing work with the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to mental health and vulnerable customers.Most recently, in November 2015, our programme launched the third reprint report of its report "Lending, debt collection and mental health: twelve steps for treating potentially vulnerable customers fairly", which is now available at www.vulnerability.trainingIn 2015, I received the Martin Williams award for contribution to the UK credit industry awarded each year by Credit Today. This was for our work on mental health, vulnerability, and financial services. This builds on a a 2011 Credit Today award for innovation in money advice, and was also named in the same year in the Credit Today Top 100. All this work is undertaken through a partnership with the Money Advice Trust, and with my long-term collaborator, Colin Trend.