Partnership available in Plymouth helps people facing cost-of-living pressures

An innovative partnership between Citizens Advice and Yorkshire Building Society, which is available in Plymouth, has helped over 7,000 people across the UK since it began three years ago, and the advice given could have unlocked over £3.2 million in potential additional income for beneficiaries.

The partnership sees Yorkshire Building Society host Citizens Advice advisers one day a week in the Plymouth branch on Armada Way. Citizens Advice offers impartial advice on a host of issues, including struggles with finances.  Through the partnership members of the public can access an hour-long appointment which is free, confidential and can be booked directly by contacting a participating branch.

The programme started as a pilot in just six branches in 2021 but due to demand, and its initial success, it has since expanded to over 40 percent of the Society’s branches.  The partnership has helped people with a range of different problems, including accessing welfare benefits, debt, housing and legal difficulties.   

The Plymouth branch has been involved in the partnership since July 2023 and in that time it has helped over 106 people in the local area.

Susan Allen, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society said: “Our purpose is to provide real help with real life and that’s exactly what our partnership with Citizens Advice does. We are incredibly proud of the impact that this service has had on thousands of people across the UK in its first three years.

“Through this partnership we’ve helped to make impartial and independent advice from Citizens Advice even more accessible in our communities and it has had a real impact on the lives of thousands of people up and down the UK.” 

Emma Handley, Chief Officer at Citizens Advice Plymouth, said: "This year we’ve seen many households reach out to us for support for a huge range of issues. That’s why our partnership with Yorkshire Building Society is so important in helping us to increase the support that we can offer to people in need in our local communities.”

For more information on this innovative partnership and details of participating branches please visitwww.ybs.co.uk/citizens-advice