Show Your Employees You Care

Castle & Minster is a local credit union that provides local, ethical, affordable finance for people who live or work in Kirklees. We are a financial co-operative, predominantly run for and by our members. We currently have 8,000 members with around 1,000 of these saving with us direct from their pay through our unique and hassle free payroll deduction scheme.

We have introduced our work place saving scheme in several large, like minded organisations including Kirklees Council, NHS Kirklees, Kirklees College and West Yorkshire Fires Service. Employees nominate an affordable amount to save each pay period and this is deducted direct from their pay and place in a credit union savings account.

We are looking to expand our payroll deduction scheme by inviting more large businesses and organisations who have a social conscience and wish to support their local economy and community, to work in partnership with us. We can offer a wide range of financial services to their employees including a hassle free workplace saving scheme. Saving direct from pay offers several benefits to employers which include:

• demonstrate you are a committed employer, providing access to savings and loans and taking the stress out of money management for employees.
• improve employee health and sickness absenteeism associated with money related stress and sickness
• easy and low cost set up with minimum time/resource investment and free promotional resources and talks provided by Castle & Minster
• help attract and retain quality employees
• reinforce company community ethos
• provide good public relations
• encourage a co-operative spirit and culture in your work

Any employer (with over 20 employees) is welcome to join the scheme.

The benefits to your employees are also extensive and include:

• protection through the Finance Services Compensation Scheme and Financial Ombudsman Service
• instant access to savings
• reduce dependency on high interest ‘Pay Day’ loans by providing access to competitive, transparent loans with no hidden costs.
• secure and convenient online account access, and additional access through Digital TV (InTouch Kirklees), Smart phone wii and balance requests by text 24/7, saving your employees time and money.

Employees also benefit from life-time membership regardless of job changes, retirement or relocation.  

Julia works for Kirklees Council and joined Castle & Minster Credit Union several years ago. She says “I became a single parent and was daunted by the prospect of affording Christmas, so I started saving with Castle & Minster through payroll deduction. I nominated a small and affordable amount to be deducted from my salary each month and saving in this way was hassle free. By Christmas I was pleasantly surprised by how much I had saved – over £200!

I have also taken out a low cost loan with Castle & Minster to help pay for a trip abroad to attend a close friend’s wedding. Castle & Minster offered flexible repayment terms, with no hidden costs. I just use the loans for emergencies now, for example washer breakdowns and car repairs.

The staff at Castle & Minster Credit Union have always been friendly, professional and approachable. Frankly Castle & Minster have been brilliant!”

Tony Hood, Chair of Board of Directors at Castle & Minster has said “By saving and borrowing from Castle & Minster Credit Union your company and its employees will help us provide valuable financial services to local people on low income. Payroll deduction has proved an hit with existing partners and is hassle free both for the employer in terms of setting up the scheme and employees in signing up to save in this way. We are actively seeking new payroll business partners and welcome any new enquiries from businesses and organisations that have a base in the Kirklees area”.

For further information please contact Castle & Minster Credit Union, T: 01484 221294, E: info@castleandminster.co.uk  W: www.castleandminster.co.uk

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