Putting Credit Unions into the hearts of the East Midlands
In summer 2012 we, the East Midlands Credit Unions (EMCU), came together to talk about how we could collaborate and help each other grow and flourish. One of the first projects we decided to work on as a group was the change to Welfare Reform. We understood that the changes would have a significant impact on the amount of money people have available if there were reliant on some or all benefits. The most worrying for the EMCU was the changes to how housing benefit would be paid. We felt that some of our existing members would need some support in making sure their rent was continued to be paid.
The Social Landlords in the East Midlands were also working on strategies to find solutions to welfare reforms for their tenants. They were looking at how they might help their tenants cope with the reduction in benefit if they have a spare room and the impact of being responsible for paying rent themselves for the first time (rather than it going directly to the Landlord). They knew that the credit unions could be part of the solution for their tenants, but working with credit unions could be difficult as they had different products and services and many Landlords would have to work with several credit unions at a time. This made it very difficult to offer their tenants consistent support across all their homes.
By bringing the Landlords and the Credit Unions together we were able to fund a project that provides a universal product to the benefit of tenants across the East Midlands. A group of Social Landlords agreed to fund the development of the products and these Landlords became the Founder Members. If you pay your rent to one of these founder members your Landlord may pay for you to open up one of the
rent payment accounts this project has made available.
The Founder Members are (at September 2013)
|
Accent Nene |
Derby Homes |
Longhurst & Havelock |
Rockingham Forest |
|
Asra |
Derventio Housing Trust |
Mansfield Council |
Rykneld Homes |
|
Lincoln City |
East Midlands Housing |
Melton Borough Council |
Seven Locks Housing |
|
Boston Mayflower |
Erewash Borough Council |
Metropolitan |
S.Northants Homes |
|
Bromford Living |
Friendship Care & Housing |
New Lynx Housing |
Spire Homes |
|
Corby Borough Council |
Futures Housing Group |
Newark & Sherwood |
Wellingborough Homes |
|
Dales housing |
Gedling Homes |
Nottingham City Homes |
|
|
De Montfort Housing |
Kettering Borough |
Nottingham Community Housing |
|
Derby City Council |
Leicester City council |
Raglan Housing Association |
The Credit Unions taking the lead on this project are
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Clockwise Credit Union covering Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Northampton
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Erewash Credit Union covering Derbyshire
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Nottingham Credit Union covering Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and some tenants in Lincolnshire
Other credit unions involved are:
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Northampton Credit Union covering Northamptonshire
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Linc-up covering Lincolnshire
