Category Archives: London Capital Credit Union

London Capital Credit Union adds support to those affected by Hurricane Dorian

London Capital Credit Union has joined credit unions around the world to help those affected by Hurricane Dorian, which hit The Bahamas at the beginning of September.

The devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian prompted the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions to initiate Project Storm Break to provide financial support to those affected in The Bahamas, and almost $200,000 (£162,000) has so far been raised, including a donation from London Capital Credit Union.

Project Storm Break funds are initially being distributed to help credit unions provide members and staff with emergency supplies. The money is also helping credit unions get back up and running so they can provide much needed cash and other financial services to their members.

According to the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions, credit unions on the island of Grand Bahama were the hardest hit. The Grand Bahama Co-operative Credit Union suffered major flooding and roof damage at its branch in Freeport, the main town on the island. Four employees, including the branch manager, also lost their homes in the storm. In addition, four other credit unions suffered damage to their Freeport branches.

On Abaco—the other island hardest hit by Dorian—there was at least some good news. The Teachers and Salaried Workers Credit Union branch in Marsh Harbour suffered no damage, and is located in one of the few structures left standing on the island.

Mike Reuter, Executive Director of the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions, said: “We want to help these community-based institutions get back in business and servicing members as soon as possible – even if it is in a parking lot tent or other temporary location for now. Getting these credit unions back on their feet is the best step we can take to getting their members back on a path to a sustainable future.”

Elaine Greaves, Director at London Capital Credit Unions

Elaine Greaves, Director at London Capital Credit Unions

 

Elaine Greaves, Director at London Capital Credit Union added: “We’re pleased to have played a small part in the fundraising effort by making a donation from our credit union and we hope other groups and individuals can also support the rebuilding of credit unions in The Bahamas by making their own contribution.”

To find out more about Project Storm Break and to make a donation, click here.

London Capital Credit Union is hiring

London Capital Credit Union is hiring. Please see below for details of the role as Loans support Officer and how to aaply.

“We are offering an exciting opportunity to work in the financial services sector with a dynamic and rapidly growing co-operative business as a Loans Support Officer, working in credit control.

London Capital Credit UnionWe are recruiting a Loans Support Officer – Credit Control, to be based at our head office near Archway tube station in North London. This is a full time, temporary three month contract (may become permanent), at a salary of £13.56 per hour (£26,796pa).

The credit union is a savings and loans co-operative that is dedicated to encouraging saving and dealing with debt. Owned and democratically controlled by its members, the credit union is seeking a hard-working and committed individual to serve as part of a small team of Loans Support Officers.

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate to help us continue to build our successful co-operative business by establishing a rapport with members, applying credit control policies, assisting with loan decision making, and maintaining high levels of member satisfaction. We operate in the fiercely competitive financial services market and want to train new committed staff who will assist us in continuing to grow our credit union.

The main duties and responsibilities of the Loans Support Officer role will be to:

Implement the bad debt recovery policy, particularly early stages
Assist members facing difficulty in repaying their loan to the credit union
Help apply the eligible deduction loans service procedures
Liaise with debt collection agencies to maximise recovery rates
Actively trace borrowers in arrears who have changed address
Reschedule loans in accordance with policy to minimise cost of provisioning
Notify the line manager of any loans in arrears of particular concern
Ensure that adequate provision for bad debt is made in the accounts
Enter debt recovery actions on Curtains as appropriate
Assist the Supervisory Committee (internal audit) in their monitoring duties
Assist with member services functions as and when required
Maintain good customer service
The postholder must work within the policies and procedures of the credit union at all times.

The successful applicant must demonstrate that they have:

Direct experience of dealing with loan applications
Direct experience of credit control enforcement procedures
Excellent verbal and written communications skills
Accurate record keeping & reporting skills
A commitment to undertaking training and development
Good numeracy skills
An ability to use a range of ICT efficiently
Excellent telephone manner
An ability to work flexibly as part of a team
An understanding/commitment to equalities issues
A friendly, supportive yet assertive manner.

It is also desirable that applicants have:

A knowledge and understanding of the credit union movement
A commitment to the aims and objectives of the credit union movementClick here to find out more about the role and to apply. Applications must be received no later than 9am on Monday 25 March 2019.”

London Capital Credit Union welcomes largest ever customer satisfaction survey

London Capital Credit Union, a not-for-profit co-operative which provides savings and low cost loans to people living, working or studying in Barnet, Camden, City of London, Hackney, Haringey and Islington, has welcomed a new report which found significant approval for the services offered by credit unions.

Martin Groombridge

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive of London Capital Credit Union

The largest ever survey of credit union customers, published by Financial Inclusion Centre, found that 81% of members across the country were extremely satisfied or very satisfied with their credit union, while 84% said they would recommend a friend or family member. This compares to a recent Which? survey showing that mainstream banks’ average overall customer satisfaction score was only 68%.

These results support the feedback received from London Capital Credit Union’s own members. Results from the Credit Union’s 2017 annual survey show a very high overall level of customer satisfaction, with an average score of 9 out of a possible 10.

London Capital Credit Union is one of the fastest growing credit unions in the capital, with over 15,000 members and outstanding lending of nearly £12 million.

Financial Inclusion Centre research also demonstrated just how important the broad range of financial services being delivered by these not-for-profit financial providers are, with the majority of respondents using their credit union as an affordable and fair source of borrowing – giving them an invaluable alternative to high-cost credit such as payday loans, rent-to-own firms and door-step lenders.

Credit unions work hard to help their members understand financial issues and members are shown to score well compared to the general population on a range of financial capability measures, saying they feel they have their finances under control and are confident in dealing with money matters.

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive of London Capital Credit Union, said: “The findings of the largest ever credit union customer satisfaction survey back up what we see at London Capital Credit Union and show that most members are extremely satisfied with the services provided.

“With the current pressures on household finances, credit unions such as ours provide an essential lifeline for many, offering affordable loans in time of need and supporting people to develop a saving habit. At London Capital Credit Union, we believe it is important to help people make the most of their finances and this survey shows the hugely positive contribution that credit unions make to our communities.”

Mick McAteer, Co-Director of Financial Inclusion Centre, added: “These results are very encouraging and go to show that credit unions are highly regarded by those that use them, with higher satisfaction rates than mainstream banks.”

A copy of the report, ‘An Insight into Credit Union Membership’, can be found here.

International recognition for Islington Council and London Capital Credit Union

Islington Council and London Capital Credit Union recognised

Islington Council’s work in support of its local credit union is to gain international recognition as it hosts a group of senior managers from Singapore this week.

Richard Watts from Islington Borough CouncilThe group from the Singapore National Co-operative Federation will be greeted by the Leader of Islington Council, Councillor Richard Watts, at Islington Town Hall, before visiting the offices of the credit union in Archway.

The delegation will meet with representatives from Islington Council and London Capital Credit Union at the Town Hall and will hear how the council has supported London Capital Credit Union to become the success it now is and how this benefits residents across the borough.

The group will then visit the credit union to speak directly with members and staff about the credit union’s mission and the way it encourages saving and responsible lending to residents in Islington and beyond.

Cllr Watts said: “These are difficult times for hard pressed families in Islington and beyond, as many people deal with the rising cost of living.

“Multiple loans from payday lenders are a pathway to deeper poverty, and the council has taken action to support residents to avoid getting into problem debt.

“Part of this work has been to support London Capital Credit Union, as an accessible and affordable way for people to deal with their finances.

“I am very pleased to be supporting this organisation and the excellent work it does in Islington, and I look forward to meeting our colleagues from Singapore.”

Islington Council supports The London Capital Credit Union Ltd with a one-off grant of £250,000 and annual revenue support funding of £25,000.

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive of London Capital Credit Union, said: “Credit unions are an ethical alternative to banks and other high street lenders and their way of working is designed to benefit all members.

“We are always pleased to be able to share our knowledge with others around the world and we look forward to meeting the delegation from Singapore and welcoming them to London, and to Islington in particular.”

Credit unions in Britain have been growing consistently over the past few years as they become better known and they now have almost 1.3 million members across the country.

Added Martin Groombridge: “Over the last ten years, London Capital Credit Union has seen a huge 1,400% increase in members’ savings from £436,000 to over £6 million. And as a co-operative, we are proud that London Capital Credit Union is owned and controlled by its members – not outside shareholders.”

Find out more at www.credit-union.coop.

Haringey resident says join your credit union to support your community

Sue HoyleA member of London Capital Credit Union is calling on Haringey residents to join their local credit union to help strengthen the local community.

“Unlike high street banks, credit unions are owned by local people and work for their best interests,” says Sue Hoyle.

Sue, a former care worker, has been a member of London Capital Credit Union for 20 years and says that credit unions are such a good idea that more people should know about them.

“I believe passionately in our local community and debt is a serious issue for many people. Credit unions can be part of the solution as they keep more of the money in the local community with local people.”

Credit unions work by offering loans on affordable terms to local members and the interest raised is then made available to lend to more people locally.

“I joined London Capital Credit Union to get a loan and thanks to the way the loan was structured, I was saving at the same time as paying the loan back.”

Encouraging saving and greater financial awareness is key to the way credit unions work. Says Sue, “I had a 0% transfer credit card some years back and paid back the minimum balance by standing order each month, but basically it was like giving them money for nothing as I was mainly paying off interest, so I used my credit union loan to pay off the credit card.”

Over the years Sue says she has saved a fair amount of interest by using the credit union and has used the savings to pay for car repairs and even a holiday.

“I am just one person,” says Sue, “but, across Haringey, local people have saved over £2.9 million in loan repayments by being members of the credit union. That’s something to shout about.”

London Capital Credit Union commits to London Living Wage

One of London’s largest member-owned financial businesses has become a London Living Wage employer to demonstrate its commitment to its employees.

The London Living Wage award marks the continuing commitment by London Capital Credit Union in Archway, where, regardless of whether they are permanent employees, third-party contractors or suppliers, everyone receives a minimum hourly wage of £9.40 – significantly higher than the current national minimum wage of £6.70.

The London Living Wage is set annually by the Living Wage Foundation and calculated by the Greater London Authority. It covers all boroughs in Greater London. The UK Living Wage for outside of London is currently £8.25 per hour. The UK rate is set annually by the Living Wage Foundation and calculated by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University.

Felix Hebblethwaite, a director at London Capital Credit Union

Felix Hebblethwaite, is a director at London Capital Credit Union

Felix Hebblethwaite, a director at London Capital Credit Union, said: “A key principle of the co-operative movement – of which credit unions are a part – is to champion the sustainable development of the communities in which we operate. At LCCU we believe that paying our employees appropriately is an important step forward in achieving this objective.”

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Living Wage Foundation Director Sarah Vero said: “We are delighted to welcome London Capital Credit Union to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer.

“The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.

Added Felix Hebblethwaite: “We are proud to be a London Living Wage employer and we would encourage other employers within London to do the same.”

Find out more about London Capital Credit Union at www.credit-union.coop. Find out more about the Living Wage at www.livingwage.org.uk.

Credit union calls for volunteers to help with soaring demand

London Capital Credit Union logoLondon Capital Credit Union is looking for volunteers in the run up to Christmas as it deals with rocketing demand for its services. The credit union saw membership increase by 10% in September alone.

This follows a recent call by Sir Hector Sants, the former Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority, who now heads up the Church of England’s taskforce on credit unions, asking people with a professional background to consider volunteering for a credit union or standing for election to the board, in order that credit unions can benefit from a wide range of expertise and ability.

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive of London Capital Credit Union, says: “We are experiencing a high level of demand for our services at the moment, and this is likely to increase further in the run up to Christmas – our busiest time of year. So we are looking for people with a wide range of skills to donate some of their time to help us.”

As financial co-operatives, credit unions are owned and controlled by their members and rely on local volunteers to help deliver their services to the community. “Our volunteers get involved with the day-to-day running of the credit union,” explains Martin Groombridge. “Duties include customer services, handling phone enquiries, processing membership applications, helping to maintain our database and working on marketing materials.”

Sir Hector also called for more people to deposit money with a credit union – money which can then be lent out at an affordable rate of interest to help those in need. Those who save with a credit union then qualify for a share in the profits of the credit union in the form of an annual dividend.

Sir Hector’s comments came as the Church of England rolls out its programme to provide financial support through its new Credit Champions network across 2,000 churches. The initiative encourages church congregations to promote saving as an alternative to borrowing and to raise awareness of the role of credit unions in providing low cost loans in times of need. London Capital Credit Union is working with a number of churches across North London as part of the scheme.

Five Star Fairbanking Mark for London Capital Credit Union

The Fairbanking Foundation – the not-for-profit charity dedicated to encouraging banking institutions to improve the financial well-being of their customers – has awarded its first Mark certifications to credit unions, with London Capital Credit Union receiving 5 stars for its personal loan products.

London Capital Credit Union had to demonstrate that its personal loan customers have experienced a tangible positive impact on their financial wellbeing from using their products.

Martin Groombridge

Martin Groombridge, Chief executive of London Capital Credit Union

Speaking about the award of the 5 star mark, Martin Groombridge, CEO, London Capital Credit Union, said: “Our focus is always on our members, which is why 76% of our personal loan customers interviewed by the Foundation said that they had one or more other products with us. It is not just about offering competitive and transparent products, but also a range of features and services that help people manage their money better.

“Many in the financial services industry are too obsessed with getting into best-buy tables, but to do this transparency can often be lost with many products offering short term “teaser rates” that can quickly get expensive. People with these products can end up worse off than if they chose another product that takes a more holistic approach to helping customers with their money.”

Fairbanking’s assessment also reviews the provider’s complaints procedures and experience for the product in question. Antony Elliott, Chief Executive of Fairbanking Foundation said: “Our quality mark programme is an important step in helping customers to identify products that have been rigorously tested for the financial well-being they can deliver. Crucially, it also provides a powerful incentive for financial institutions of all sizes to compete through continual improvement of their products in ways that will truly benefit their customers.”

Over the last ten years, London Capital Credit Union has seen a 1,400% increase in members’ savings from £436,000 to over £6 million. And as co-operative, London Capital Credit Union is owned and controlled by its members – not outside shareholders.

Find out more at www.credit-union.coop.

Savings boost for London Capital Credit Union

London Capital Credit Union logoLondon Capital Credit Union has had one of its best months ever, with member savings rocketing by £300, 000 in March alone.

The credit union saw its savings deposits grow by almost 4% last month, taking the total amount of member savings to over £7.75 million for the first time.

Martin Groombridge, Chief Executive of London Capital Credit Union, said: “2015 is proving to be another exceptional year for us, with more people than ever turning to the credit union to find a safe home for their savings.

“With bank interest rates at rock bottom, the dividend offered by London Capital Credit Union looks very attractive – last year, for example, we paid 1.2% on all of our members’ savings. For an instant access account, this rate of return is not to be sniffed at.”

Martin adds that many people are also turning to the credit union because they like its ethics and philosophy of putting customers first.

“As a co-operative owned and controlled by its members, people like the fact that their money is staying in the community and not being used to generate profits for investors or speculators.”

London Capital Credit Union is dedicated to promoting saving and helping people deal with debt and now has over 11,000 members.

“At London Capital Credit Union, we believe that one of the best ways of keeping people out of the clutches of payday lenders and other high interest lenders is to encourage a savings habit and, by putting a little bit away each month, people can soon build up a pot of money to cover any unexpected expenses,” says Martin. “We are pleased that our message is getting through and that more and more people now see the credit union as a good place to save.”

London Capital Credit Union provides secure savings and low cost loans for anyone living, working or studying in Barnet, Camden, City of London, Hackney, Haringey or Islington. As a locally owned and run co-operative, all the money saved in the credit union stays in the community and is used to help other local people.

Find out more at www.credit-union.coop.