The balance between driving economic growth through reduced regulation and securing consumer protection is a discussion we've frequently had on the podcast. So it was great to take our arguments to the biggest debt advice event of the year, and have them in front of a live audience, together with a panel of experts.

Recorded live at the IMA's annual conference at the Lowry Hotel, Manchester, on 4 June 2026, Antonio and Andy are joined by Megan Lloyd (Advice Knowledge team, Citizens Advice), Gareth McNab (Principal, Unsecured Consumer Credit at UK Finance) and John Wightman (Head of Consumer Finance Market Analysis, Policy and Strategy at the Financial Conduct Authority) to consider the important issues - consumer confidence, the role of the Ombudsman, access to justice and more.

(NB: For those patiently waiting, Part 3 of our episode recorded at GMMAG will be published very soon).

Useful links:

• FCA report into Retained Provisions of the Consumer Credit Act
• Resolution Foundation: Living Standards Outlook 2026
• Citizens Advice literature review on consumer protection and economic growth
• Become a member of the IMA

Antonio and Andy are back with the Greater Manchester Money Advice Group. Our panelists Cecilia Torsney (Royal Borough of Greenwich) and Tim Nelson (GMMAG) join a room full of debt advisers to talk about the most pressing issues affecting them and their clients.

In this episode, we consider the changing role of the debt adviser - have we lost our client-centred approach? Do we need to be more adversarial? And what can we do to reverse this direction of travel?

Useful links:

• IMA Conference - 4th June 2026, in Manchester
• Become a member of the IMA

What happens when the Internet's only debt advice podcast records an episode in front of a virtual room full of debt advisers? Thanks to our friends at Greater Manchester Money Advice Group, we found out. Antonio and Andy are joined by Cecilia Torsney of RB Greenwich and Tim Nelson of GMMAG to discuss a variety of debt advice-related topics, as suggested by GMMAG members.

In Part 1 of our discussion, we cover the perennially difficult issue of communications between debt advisers and creditors, with a diversion into the frustrating world of breathing space.

These episodes were recorded over Zoom rather than with our usual software, so apologies for any reduced audio quality.

Useful links:

• IMA Conference, 4 June 2026 in Manchester
• Become a member of the IMA