The Hidden Drivers of Debt: Behavioural Economics, Bias and the Social Media Effect
For this episode of the MALG Podcast, host Peg Alexander is joined by two formidable academic researchers with a shared interest in behavioural economics: Sharon Collard, Professor of Personal Finance & Research Co-Director at the University of Bristol Personal Finance Research Centre and Eileen Tipoe, Reader in Economics and Finance at Queen Mary University of London.
Together, they discuss their latest research into problem debt and the risk of homelessness and financial guidance on social media platforms and explore what their academic work reveals about the drivers behind real peoples’ decisions and behaviours when it comes to personal finances.
They cover everything from buy now pay later and subscriptions to finfluencers and financial literacy.
29 Apr 2026
From Fragmented to Connected: Rethinking ‘Tell Us Once’ for Disabled and Vulnerable Customers
Money Advice Trust’s Vulnerability Lead Chris Fitch’s newly-published report ‘Tell Us Twenty’ is a review of initiatives that allow people to share their support needs with multiple organisations. It’s a follow up to the report he discussed on the very first episode of the MALG Podcast back in November 2024, which outlined 10 guiding principles to help design better data-sharing schemes.
The new review’s main finding is that, ironically, there are at least 20 'Tell Us Once' initiatives in operation in the UK, spanning sectors from energy to education, and circumstances from death to direct debits.
In this episode, Chris explores how improved sharing across existing schemes could address the failed and unrealistic ambition to create one single system for disabled and vulnerable people, giving them control over their data and avoiding unnecessary repetition of their circumstances.
23 Mar 2026
New MALG CEO – The future of ‘working together to improve the lives of people in debt’
In his final episode, Bob Winnington introduces incoming MALG CEO Peg Alexander. Peg discusses her eclectic background - from Citizens Advice to broadcasting - and what drew her to the role leading MALG.
Together they reflect on the future of the debt sector, key challenges like AI, buy-now-pay-later and climate-related risks, and the importance of collaboration, prevention and fresh strategic thinking.
4 Feb 2026
Beyond the Chatbot: Building Safe Self-Serve Debt Advice AI to Empower and Protect People in Financial Difficulty
We are back in London to talk about MALG’s new Money & Pensions Service-funded research project entitled ‘Exploring Safe & Effective Self‑Serve in Regulated Debt Advice in the Generative AI Era.’ In this episode, MALG CEO Bob Winnington and Mark Pearce, Founder and CEO of the research delivery partner Wyser AI, discuss how this project came about and what they hope to achieve.
Mark has built a reputation as one of the UK’s most thoughtful voices on the responsible application of AI in regulated environments. He combines deep technical expertise with a strong ethical compass, focusing on how AI can enhance, not replace, human decision‑making. Mark has worked extensively with organisations across financial services, advice delivery, and public‑interest sectors to design AI systems that are transparent, safe, and aligned with real‑world user needs.
Together Bob and Mark unpack why this research is urgently needed, what risks and opportunities Generative AI presents, and how the debt advice sector can collaborate to build tools that genuinely support people in financial difficulty without compromising safeguarding, quality, or regulatory standards.
16 Jan 2026
Efficient, Ethical Enforcement in Action: How the Naylor Sisters Are Redefining Industry Standards
For this episode, MALG CEO Bob Winnington is at the London office of Dukes Bailiffs, one of the UK’s most progressive enforcement firms. For the first time, he sits down with not one guest but three – sisters Laura Naylor, Sarah Naylor, and Zoe Naylor – to explore how a family-run business has evolved into a sector leader known for innovation, ethical practice, and a people‑centred approach.
As long-standing MALG Members, the Dukes trio share how collaboration, vulnerability-aware practice, and a commitment to continuous improvement have shaped their journey. This conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at leadership, culture, and transformation in a sector that is still very much misunderstood.
26 Nov 2025
The link between small businesses and household finances: Why we should be talking about the ‘cost of doing business crisis’
*SOUND QUALITY PATCHY - LISTEN WITH SUBTITLES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT*
At the recent Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) Conference 2025 in Leeds, MALG CEO Bob Winnington took to the stage with former MALG Chair Liz Barlcay for our first ever LIVE Podcast.
This episode is just a snapshot of what he talked about with the former UK Small Business Commissioner and now Small Business and Entrepreneurship Lead at the Institute of Directors. We’ve captured Liz’s key insights into why those working to improve the lives of people in debt should be concerned not just about household finances but about the health of the nation’s small businesses. She warns that, while we’ve been talking about the cost of living crisis, we may have overlooked the ‘cost of doing business crisis’.
So if you weren’t able to join us for the whole thing, here are the highlights.
2 Oct 2025
Urgent Need for Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Regulation: Why greater clarity and consumer protection is vital for responsible debt recovery
MALG CEO Bob Winnington is joined at the studio in London by Natalie Bunyer, Sales Director at debt collection agency ARC (Europe). Formerly Managing Director of Global Debt Recovery Limited, Natalie has built an impressive career in the credit and collections sector, with a particular focus on people, culture, and continuous improvement.
She’s passionate about driving change in the industry through better training, development, and collaboration. From tracing and collections to navigating the complexities of FCA compliance, she has developed a wealth of knowledge that allows her to deliver innovative solutions and exceptional results.
Natalie became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM) in 2022 and then joined its Board in 2023 before being appointed to its Advisory Council as a Consumer Credit Representative in 2024. In this capacity she supports the Institute’s mission to promote excellence and plays an important role in shaping the future of responsible credit management across the UK.
She also recently joined a Cross-Government Debt Group focused on ‘Fairness Innovation’ as a key voice from the regulated debt collection space.
At the core of Natalie’s approach to collections is trust, openness, and a commitment to the highest professional standards. This is why she feels strongly that Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) lending is in urgent need of a regulatory framework, particularly when it comes to affordability and complaints handling.
She talks to Bob about this – and more – in this insightful chat.
2 Sept 2025
Regulation, Reform and Reputation – Shaping the future of debt purchase and collections
MALG CEO Bob Winnington is in central London for this podcast episode with someone who is familiar with the capital as a former MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Chancellor: Chris Leslie. Chris became MP of Shipley, West Yorkshire in 1997 (think: D-Ream’s ‘Things can only get better’), but you can now often find him even further North in Newcastle, where the headquarters of the Credit Services Association (CSA) resides. He was appointed as CEO of the UK trade body for the debt purchase and collections sector in July 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chris brings a unique blend of parliamentary experience, policy expertise, and sector engagement to his role, positioning the CSA as an authoritative voice for the debt collection industry. He works closely with government and regulators to shape and communicate public policy and promote high professional standards across CSA member firms and, under his leadership, significant progress has been made in both professionalisation of the sector and public understanding of it’s role in credit viability and debt resolution.
In this episode, ahead of the CSA’s UK Credit & Collections Conference on 11 September 2025, he gives a ‘state of the nation’ update on the future of debt purchase and collections from a regulatory, political and industry point of view.
18 Aug 2025
Hearts and Minds – Championing Financial Fairness through Leadership, Lived Experience and Human-Centred AI
For this special episode of the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) Podcast - a special edition which has been recorded and can be watched here https://youtu.be/qm_Lo1PGn7k as well as listened to - MALG CEO Bob Winnington talks to Lee Healey.
Lee started his career at the Department for Work and Pensions as a decision maker handling benefits and later worked as a benefits adviser and manager with the Disablement Association of Barking & Dagenham in his Essex homeland. He earned a certificate in Money Advice Practice and Debt Advice at Staffordshire University after founding IncomeMAX in 2009.
Lee has built the Community Interest Company from the ground up, transforming it into a leading UK social enterprise that blends human-centred financial advice with AI-powered innovation. His commitment to helping vulnerable individuals and low income households claim every penny of support they’re entitled to has driven IncomeMAX to identify well over £50 million in new income for more than 150,000 households. But he doesn’t take all the credit himself – Lee publicly champions and recognises IncomeMAX’s 40-strong team for their hard work and dedication.
As one of the top 100 influential people on LinkedIn and an expert guest on the Martin Lewis Money Show Live, BBC News, Sky News and Channel 5, Lee is recognised nationally for his influence and impact on improvements to the benefits system. He may have ‘old school’ values but he’s a true innovator, something which has seen him being shortlisted for AI Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2025.
Lee is also a passionate support of MALG as a former Board Member and now Ambassador. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he gave a post-pandemic closing keynote speech at the MALG Conference in 2022 entitled ‘Fighting for their Rights – A call to action for the money advice sector’, which is why we’ve invited him back to do the opening keynote at the MALG Conference 2025, which will be all about the evolving debt policy landscape. This episode is a pre-cursor to what he’ll be talking about at the conference because, let’s face it, we could listen to Lee talk passionately about what he does all day.
16 Jul 2025
Future-fit credit information to support better outcomes for people and economies
In this episode of the MALG Podcast, Bob Winnington is at the headquarters of the organisation that maintains the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines to meet with its CEO Chris Dick. Registry Trust’s live data on monetary judgments, including CCJs, supports millions of lending and credit decisions in the UK & Ireland every year, helping to keep the economy moving and identify economic trends.
Chris had a 20-year career at Barclays Bank followed by a stint at qualifications body AQA before joining Registry Trust in 2021 as its Director of Operations and stepping up into the role of Chief Executive in December 2024. Described by peers as inspiring, authentic, and passionate with a strong set of personal values, Chris is bringing these characteristics to leading the not-for-profit, purpose-led organisation into the future.
At its recent 40th anniversary celebration, stakeholders were asked:
‘What does trust in public data mean in a digital-first world?’ and
‘How should the Register evolve to support better outcomes for people and economies?’
In this conversation, Chris answers these questions and explores what the future looks likes for this impartial and important source of credit information.
18 Jun 2025
Closer to the customer: What we can learn from banking contact centre data about supporting those in debt
Isobel Crosse, Head of Financial Care for Santander UK, discusses balancing customer needs with desired outcomes in banking, offering insights into financial care strategies in an interview with Bob Winnington.
15 May 2025
Life changing conversations with customers in debt
In this episode of the MALG podcast, host Helen Gill of Engage Comms introduces Jonathan Shaw, Partnerships Manager for Sigma Connected Group’s ReachOut service. ReachOut, a problem debt engagement solution, was designed by the outsourced customer experience solutions provider to address the dual challenge of low engagement and low awareness of available support.
11 Mar 2025
Making support for all of your customers’ life problems accessible
Since leaving her career as a qualified Chartered Insurance Practitioner working in risk management for over a decade, Cat Divers, driven by personal experience of struggling to find help with her own set of challenging circumstances, has made it her mission to make it easier for other people to discover and connect to support services. National Support Network was created off the back of her belief that no-one should struggle alone. Her not-for-profits efforts have been recognised with awards such as the Social Entrepreneur Index and NatWest’s SE100.
As Cat explains to MALG CEO Bob Winnington in this episode, National Support Network builds customisable support directory platforms containing information on thousands of external services, including charity helplines and self-help resources. It can be accessed by customers, colleagues or communities at any time to support with a whole host of different life problems and challenges – beyond just financial difficulty, which we know can be interwoven with so many other issues.
These support platforms help to transform challenging interactions with customers, better equipping frontline staff to offer a helping hand without having to be fully trained in all the different issues customers may be facing. Companies that partner with National Support Network can also access anonymised analytics to better understand the support needs of their customers and to demonstrate the real-world impact of the platform in improving access to services.
Listen to her valuable insights about the life-changing 'ripple effect' of getting customers to the right help quickly and easily.
18 Feb 2025
Why bringing your authentic self to work is so important in the credit and debt sector with Neil Jinks
In this episode of the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) Podcast, MALG CEO Bob Winnington and podcast host Helen Gill of Engage Comms travel to Bromsgrove to the offices of Broadriver Groups’ ControlAccount Ltd. Their guest is newly appointed Brand Ambassador Neil Jinks.
28 Jan 2025
Gen Z Money: “Young people don’t have an attention issue, they have an interest issue”
Those who were at the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) Conference in November 2024 will remember Vivi Friedgut from the session on ‘finfluencer culture’. Vivi founded Blackbullion in 2016 as a financial wellbeing platform that houses UK support funds, scholarships and grants for students. Today, over 1.2 million students can access Blackbullion’s platform and it partners with over 75 universities, colleges and businesses across the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to proactively support student financial wellbeing. Vivi’s vision is for it to become the all-in-one money management space for students that supports them before, during and after their studies, helping every student to develop financial skills and confidence for life.
In this episode, MALG CEO Bob Winnington and Helen Gill of Engage Comms are at Blackbullion’s offices in London to give listeners the opportunity to get more insight from Vivi on young people’s behaviours when it comes to managing their money. From busting the myth that Gen Zers have no attention span, to challenging the idea that AI can offer meaningful financial education, this chat offers a balanced, data-driven view on what the future of financial wellbeing should look like.
11 Dec 2024
‘The power of partnerships’ for supporting and empowering people in financial difficulty
MALG CEO Bob Winnington and Policy in Practice Chief Product Officer Genevieve Orford discuss how strategic partnerships empower people in financial difficulty through innovative solutions and tailored support.
31 Oct 2024
'A once in 25 years opportunity’ to revolutionise vulnerable consumer data sharing with Dr Chris FItch
In this first episode of the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) podcast, MALG CEO Bob Winnington has the pleasure of sitting down with someone who may be familiar to some listeners, Dr Chris Fitch. He is the Money Advice Trust’s Vulnerability Lead and Research Fellow at the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre. As a prolific and highly engaging speaker and host of the ‘Vulnerability Matters’ podcast he’s one of if not the leading voice on fair treatment of vulnerable customers by financial services, utilities, telecoms and related firms in the UK and beyond. A researcher by trade, he delves deep into issues facing vulnerable customers using a ‘lived experience’ approach to come up with practical solutions that work.
His latest passion project is the Government’s ‘Share Once Support Register’ which will mean vulnerable customers only need to register with energy, telecoms and water companies once to access extra help. In this episode, Bob has the opportunity to ask Chris what his secret is when it comes to galvanising people and organisations to get on board with his collaborative projects and how he manages to communicate his messages so well. They discuss the 10 principles for designing consumer data sharing programmes which a group of independent experts have come up with to inform the new Share Once Support Register and we get Chris' take on what the new Government needs to do to ensure that vulnerable customers are finally offered the service they deserve.
16 Jul 2024
“The game is rigged” – why we can only change the system for people in financial difficulty by working together
In this introductory episode of the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) podcast, host Helen Gill of Engage Comms is joined by MALG CEO Bob Winnington to discuss what MALG is all about, why we’re bringing you this podcast, what you can expect from it and why, in 2024, we need game-changing solutions to ’improving the lives of people in debt’ more than ever.
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