Improvement in financial circumstances with debt advice provision: a randomised trial of efficacy, cost effectiveness and cost benefit

ISRCTN	ISRCTN68363641
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN68363641
Protocol serial number	N/A
Sponsor	Department for Constitutional Affairs (UK)
Funder	Department for Constitutional Affairs

Submission date: 26/06/2006
Registration date: 28/07/2006
Last edited: 24/03/2011

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Signs and Symptoms

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Prof Pascoe Pleasence
Scientific

Legal Services Research Centre
85 Grays Inn Road
London
WC1X 8TX
United Kingdom

Phone	+44 (0) 207 759 1190
Email	pascoe.pleasence@legalservices.gov.uk

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Interventional, randomised, single blind controlled study
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Scientific title
Study objectives	The objective of this study is to determine whether the offer of advice to those experiencing debt problems has a positive impact on their financial and general circumstances, whether it is cost-effective (from the individuals perspective) and whether the benefits of advice warrant the expenditure of public/charitable monies on its provision.
Ethics approval(s)	Granted from a group of independent academic researchers (February 2005) Formal ethics approval not neccessary for a trial of this type.
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Anxiety
Intervention	Invitation of debt advice provided over the telephone by National Debtline
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	The primary outcome with respect to the efficacy of debt advice will be the proportion of people with no debt problem 12 months after the offer of advice
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	1. Proportion of people with debt problems after five months 2. Level of personal debt 3. Amount of monthly debt servicing payments 4. Ease of living on income (index) 5. Outlook (when debt problems will end) 6. Knowledge of personal financial situation 7. Continuity of ownership/possession of the family home 8. Continuity of services (utilities: water, electricity, etc.) 9. Loss of property through debt enforcement processes 10. County court judgments 11. Employment status 12. Relationship stability (relationship status) 13. Relationship stability (suggestion of separation) 14. Anxiety (index six item version of state trait anxiety index constructed by Marteau and Bekker in 1992) 15. Health (using EuroQoL (Eq-5D) instrument
Completion date	05/08/2006

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	308
Key inclusion criteria	Respondents to the screening survey who indicate they are currently experiencing a debt problem about which they have not obtained formal advice
Key exclusion criteria	All those without debt problems, or those with debt problems who have obtained formal advice
Date of first enrolment	05/05/2005
Date of final enrolment	05/08/2006

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
England

Study participating centre

Legal Services Research Centre

London
WC1X 8TX
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	01/11/2007		Yes	No