Over 20 MPs and representatives from across the UK’s independent advice sector came together on Monday, 20 October for the #AdviceSaves 2025 Parliamentary Reception.
The event celebrated the life-changing impact of independent advice services and the contribution of the people who work in them. We launched AdviceUK’s new report, Advice Works: building a skilled advice sector workforce. The report finds that staff shortages and barriers to workforce development in the sector are undermining access to life-saving free advice. To address this, AdviceUK is calling for a cross-government Advice Workforce Development Strategy to secure the future of the sector.
Based on the experiences of AdviceUK members, the report reveals the scale of the workforce crisis facing advice agencies across the UK:
To address these challenges, AdviceUK is calling for a National Advice Workforce Development Strategy, led by employment and skills directorates at the Department for Work and Pensions, with input from the Ministry of Justice, Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government.
The strategy should focus on creating clear career pathways, raising the profile of advice work, developing apprenticeships and work academies, and supporting agencies to train and retain staff through small grants and coordinated learning routes.
AdviceUK Chief Executive Liz Bayram said:
“Demand for advice is high and advice services report that cases are becoming more complex and more challenging too… Without action, there is no guarantee that advice services will have the staff or the resources to be part of important [government] initiatives.”
“We are calling for National Advice Workforce Strategies in England, Scotland and Wales, bringing together governments and the sector to co-design solutions.”
“It is time for government to recognise advice as a key partner in public service delivery and show leadership in ensuring people are attracted to, and stay in, the advice workforce.”
The event was opened by Terry Jermy MP, who welcomed guests and paid tribute to the advice workers in his constituency and across the UK. Jermy, MP for South West Norfolk, gave a special shoutout to Norfolk Community Law Service, who provide advice to residents across the county.
Sarah Sackman KC MP, Minister for Courts and Legal Services, also addressed the event, recognising the essential role of advice providers in ensuring access to justice and early intervention. The Minister said:
“We as MPs work all the time with the advice sector… the advice they [are] able to provide to support citizens was absolutely invaluable.”
“If we don’t act on the warnings in this report, we are going to lose some of our best people. We are not going to be able to attract the next generation into the advice profession, we are not going to retain many of the brilliant people we have, people are going to burnout and walk away, and that will leave too many of our clients disempowered, it will leave them vulnerable.”
“Access to justice, as far as I’m concerned, isn’t a luxury; it’s the foundation of a fair society.”
Speakers from across the sector shared their frontline experiences and hopes for reform:
Jhoanna Mosquera, Latin American House Director, spoke about the importance of programmes, such as Skilling Up for Justice, in developing the advice sector workforce, particularly in training people with lived experience who can build trust with clients. Jhoanna also spoke about the challenges of recruiting and retaining multilingual advisers to meet community needs.
Alice Tibbert, Housing Matters Director, described her organisation’s work in Bristol and how Housing Matters’ training programme has been effective in bringing in new advisers. Alice also discussed the pressures her organisation is facing and the need for government intervention to support the advice sector across the country.
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