A credit union in Queen’s Park has launched a new service for its customers who lack the confidence to open a current account at a high street bank.

Your Credit Union has set up ‘Banking Buddy’ in an effort to get customers to improve their credit score which in turn will make them less likely to turn to high interest loan providers such as pay day loan lenders.

The union will book and accompany a customer to a branch of Barclays Bank in the area where a member of staff will set up a current account for them.

The union holds regular pop-up sessions at a number of venues including Beethoven Community Information Centre in Beethoven Street, Queen’s Park.

William Rhodes, the union’s CEO, said: “If someone’s not confident speaking English it can sometimes be difficult to be heard; others might simply lack the confidence to go in a bank, some have been turned down in the past, but don’t know why.

“That is where having a Banking Buddy comes in.”

The union recently helped José who has been living in the UK since arriving from Portugal in 2005 but has never been able to open a current account with a bank.

He is now a proud Barclays account holder.

“Having no debit card makes things really tricky, especially when I go back home to see my family,” he said.

“I end up having to take cash with me as I can’t draw any money out. Now I have one and bank account I can buy things on the internet which are often much cheaper.”

For more information about the scheme visit yourcu.co.uk or call 0207 605 6341.