The Economic Secretary to the Treasury John Glen MP recently wrote 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 finance workers for their ongoing hard work and dedication.
John Glen said: “The Government has always been clear that the financial sector has a vital role to play at a time when many face financial difficulty.”
Acknowledging that there are still services that require direct engagement between a customer and a branch, the Minister made it clear that his advice is consistent with the Chief Medical Officer’s, and essential 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 as ensuring 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 like ours have stepped up to the challenge of serving our members in these difficult circumstances, demonstrating why we are trusted by well over one million people across Great Britain for affordable loans and accessible savings.
Helen Baron, Chair of the Board at the Credit Union, said: “I would like to thank our staff and volunteers for the work they have been doing to keep the Credit Union open through these testing times, so we can continue to provide essential financial services to our community.
“In line with our co-operative ethos of ‘people helping people’, we are proud to provide an important service to our members and would urge anyone who needs money management advice or financial support to contact us – ideally by phone or email in the first instance of course – and we will do all we can to help.”
