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Economic Secretary to the Treasury thanks credit unions

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP, has today (21/04/2020) written to frontline credit union, bank, building society and Post Office staff to thank them for their hard work and vital service to communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Monday 15 January 2024

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP, has today (21/04/2020) written to frontline credit union, bank, building society and Post Office staff to thank them for their hard work and vital service to communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his letter, the Minister thanked all essential workers for their ongoing hard work and dedication.

“The Government has always been clear that the financial sector has a vital role to play at a time when many face financial difficulty,” says John Glen MP.

Acknowledging there are still services that require direct engagement between a customer and a branch, the Minister has made it clear his advice is consistent with the Chief Medical Officer’s, and key workers can continue to travel into work.

The Minister added: “I am encouraged by the way the sector has responded and am confident that you will continue to meet these challenges. To help ensure workplaces remain safe, banks, building societies, credit unions and Post Offices, I am sure, will continue to follow the latest Government guidance on operating safely in the workplace.

“Finally, I have also been very encouraged to hear about specific examples of the support being provided by many of you to the most vulnerable customers. This includes herculean efforts to help customers who are facing acute financial difficulty, as well ensure that those that are self-isolating can access cash, complete their everyday banking online, and even access food and medication. It is   these actions that will be remembered for getting the nation through this crisis. I commend you all for making a hugely valuable and critical contribution to the resilience of our nation at this most challenging time. Thank you.”

Credit unions have stepped up to the challenge of serving their members in these challenging circumstances and demonstrating why they are trusted by well over 1m people across Great Britain for affordable loans and accessible savings.  Examples of credit unions going the extra mile are visible across the sector, from Serve and Protect Credit Union providing its Wellbeing Call-back Service to Celtic Credit Union opening a new branch to serve members in Port Talbot to Pennine Community Credit Union processing £95,000 into member’s accounts on a single day before 9am to ensure members had access to their money as quickly as possible.

Commenting on the Minister’s letter to credit unions, ABCUL CEO, Robert Kelly said: “From the very beginning of this crisis, credit unions up and down the country have been shining examples of their communities and have excelled in what they do best – people helping people.

“I’m immensely proud of our sector and want to thank the Minister, John Glen MP for this acknowledgement of the credit union sector’s commitment, professionalism and flexibility. There are still undoubtedly tough times ahead, however ABCUL will do our utmost to support credit unions so they can continue to provide vital service to their members and improve financial resilience across the country.”

You can read the Minister’s letter to key-worker staff here.

 

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