EE Offers Free Independent Debt Advice to UK Customers

Broadband ISP and mobile operator EE has today announced that they’ve teamed up with the Money Adviser Network to offer customers free, independent debt advice through referrals from customer service advisors. Nearly 3,000 customers are said to have so far benefitted from the service since its rollout in June 2022.

EE states that they’ve embedded the debt referral process into their UK and Ireland based contact centres, where advisers have been trained to identify customers who are struggling financially.

According to the blurb, “With the cost of living affecting consumer spending, EE is helping customers by providing access to practical expert advice for those who may be facing financial hardship. The Money Adviser Network simplifies how organisations can direct people in financial difficulty to free regulated debt advice.”

The operator added that they’re also “fully committed” to the government’s new Breathing Space initiative, accessed through the Money Adviser Network. Customers may be offered this scheme, depending on their circumstances, after discussions with a debt adviser. It provides customers time to recover from a financially vulnerable position, with support from debt charities, and this may include pausing collections activity.

Nick Lane, EE’s MD of Service, said:

“Customer service is at the heart of everything we do and now our advisors can help customers access free independent debt advice that will make a difference to household finances across the board.”

Overall, this is a positive feature for a commercial broadband and mobile provider to offer, and it’s not something that their competitors appear to have launched.. yet. But at the same time, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also point out how the operator’s own inflation busting policy of annual price hikes may have contributed toward fuelling the very problem that this scheme exists to help.