Yorkshire Building Society to expand Citizens Advice partnership to more than 40 branches
Yorkshire Building Society has announced its partnership with Citizens Advice will be expanded
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Yorkshire Building Society has announced its partnership with Citizens Advice will be expanded nationally to more than 40 of the building society’s branches.
Citizens Advice advisers will hold free, impartial and confidential appointments in private meeting rooms at more than 40 selected high street branches.
Susan Allen, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “As a mutual organisation we are committed to providing real help to people in our communities, and this is just one of the ways we do this.
“In the current climate, this partnership is incredibly relevant - offering an immediate lifeline to people who need it, in an accessible location.
Energy bills are among a number of outgoings which have soared for many during the cost of living crisis
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“We know from the current locations just how valuable this service continues to be and I have no doubt extending the use of our retail space to host Citizen Advice advisers nationally will ensure more people across the country benefit from the support, where and when they need it.”
The service supports people with a range of issues and is available to all members of the public, not just Yorkshire Building Society members.
The building society said to date it has unlocked more than £1million worth of estimated extra income for those it has helped.
The partnership originally started with six branches in 2021.
The amount of Yorkshire locations offering the service trebled in the first 18 months due to increased demand.
The national expansion will mean 42 branches across Scotland, Yorkshire and the North West, East Anglia and the South West of the country now offer the service.
This includes locations in Glasgow, Newcastle, Norwich and Plymouth.
Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said they were “thrilled” to be extending the partnership.
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She said: “The number of people helped by Citizens Advice hit a record high during the first four months of 2023, and this partnership will help us to reach even more people who need support during these particularly challenging times.”
A new report has found a quarter (24 per cent) of Britons say they often run out of money before pay day, highlighting the fragility of people’s finances.
The number of people unable to save money on a monthly basis has doubled since 2019, rising from one in ten (12 per cent) to one in five (22 per cent), according to Yorkshire Building Society’s 'Saving the Nation' report.
Debt has risen notably since the onset of the cost of living crisis, with the average person going a further £526 into the red, the building society said.
Chris Irwin, director of savings at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Now more than ever, with current and potential future economic uncertainty, it’s important for people to try and build their financial resilience and for the wider financial services market, and policymakers, to help people to save.”