UK Savings Week: HEY Credit Union Helping People Build Financial Resilience

Tuesday 23rd Sep, 2025

UK Savings Week: HEY Credit Union Helping People Build Financial Resilience

UK Savings Week (22 – 28 September 2025) is an annual campaign designed to encourage people to develop better saving habits. At a time when millions of households are struggling to put money aside, HEY Credit Union is proud to highlight the vital role credit unions play in helping people to start saving – and keep on saving.

Around 14 million people in the UK have less than £100 in savings to fall back on in an emergency. The latest Financial Lives Survey also shows that one in ten people have no savings at all, while a further fifth have less than £1,000 set aside.

Credit unions exist to provide a safe, supportive environment for members to build financial security. Adult and junior membership of British credit unions has now reached an all-time high of 1.52 million people – that’s a 3% increase over the past year. From 2020 to 2024, total member savings grew by an impressive 37%, to £2.34 billion.

As well as their deep community links, credit unions also work closely with employers to deliver workplace savings schemes. These partnerships allow staff to save directly from their pay, helping them to build up savings over time while also having access to affordable loans if needed. For employers, such schemes support employee wellbeing and reduce financial stress in the workforce.

Matthew Stevens, HEY Credit Union’s Chief Executive, said:
“Recent reviews have shown how much our members value our safe, simple to use savings products and friendly customer care team. Over the past 26 years we’ve helped nearly 20,000 people to build up savings of £14.5 million, many of whom had never saved before. We’re proud to be giving them the security of knowing that they can deal with the unexpected and plan for the future.”

As more people look for practical ways to manage their money, credit unions like HEY are continuing to expand their reach and impact – proving they are an essential part of the country’s financial landscape.