Appointments with Citizens Advice made available in building society’s branches

People will be able to make one-to-one financial wellbeing appointments with Citizens Advice in a building society’s branches, under a new pilot scheme.

The initiative will take place over the next nine months, in selected branches of Yorkshire Building Society.

The Society is funding Citizens Advice advisers to hold free, confidential appointments at least one day a week across the pilot locations in Yorkshire, in Barnsley, Castleford, Leeds, Rothwell, Wakefield and York.

The appointments are open to everyone in the community, not just Yorkshire Building Society customers.

The Citizens Advice advisers will offer independent advice in private meeting rooms.

They can help people with a wide range of issues, including financial wellbeing.

Mike Regnier, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society said: “The pandemic has brought into sharp focus the challenges many people face around financial wellbeing, employment and skills.

“We are committed to enhance existing initiatives and establish new schemes to help people of all ages and stages of life with financial resilience.

“This trial partnership with Citizens Advice is a great initiative for both organisations to be able to increase the offering of face-to-face support to some of our communities.

“This pilot forms part of £1 million in additional investment that we are using to help target those who need it most.”

Each appointment is up to 60 minutes long and can be booked by contacting a participating branch.

Dame Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice said: “The last year has shown how important it is that people can access advice.

“Across the country our advisers helped 18 people every minute during the pandemic.

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Yorkshire Building Society to ensure that even more people can get the advice they need, when and where they need it.”