What is a Credit Union?

Anyone can open an account with a credit union including working/non working, retired people and those with poor credit records.

Many people have got out of the habit of regular saving - and live life on endless credit and loans. Two in three people will still be paying off debt next Christmas for gifts and food for last Christmas.

A child that doesn’t know how to save will face a stressful adult life relying on credit and loans.

Credit unions take a responsible attitude to lending encouraging regular saving before you can take out a loan. While doorstep loan companies may give you an immediate loan - you certainly pay for it with around ten times higher interest!

Just think . . . a first time buyer now has to raise a minimum deposit of 10% which is £15,000 on a £150,000 house. How is your child going to afford to buy a home of their own if you don’t teach them to save?

Join the Credit Union

Credit unions are becoming more and more popular – especially since all the negative publicity over the big banks - and you’d be surprised at whose doing it . . .

Many employers arrange Payroll Savings schemes for their staff.

Coastal Housing staff save with the union, Tata Steel staff in Port Talbot save with the union, NPTCBC staff save with the union and so many more . . .


School Savings NPT Credit Union runs saving clubs in 12 local schools - is your child a member? School savings clubs make it easier to budget for school trips and Prom events.


Loans
Applications for loans are treated sympathetically and if approved you will get a cheque to cash at any Post Office or a same day BACS transfer to your bank account. Loans are currently offered with an interest rate of 19.6%. A typical £1,000 loan over one year will cost you £1,196 – so much cheaper than your average doorstep lender!


Child Trust Funds
You can open a Child Trust Fund Savings Account with NPT Credit Union and make that money work harder for your childs’’ future.

Unlike banks and building societies, there are no annual charges.
Credit Union Accounts
From September NPT Credit Union will also be offering current accounts and debit cards.

If you are not working, you can have your benefits or pension paid into your credit union account and withdraw the money when you need it. If you get direct payment of benefits, then the credit union can forward the housing benefit element - your rent - directly to your housing association for you.

Credit Unions are truly democratic financial co-operatives – owned by the members for the members.

There is absolutely no risk to your savings. Directors are not paid and they don’t get fat cat bonuses like with the big banks.

Regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) Members of the financial compensation scheme

Easy Access
With an office in Windsor Road, Neath a second office has recently opened on Station Road, Port Talbot and thirteen Community Savings Points as well as a mobile office - using your credit union is easy and . . .

You no longer need to be living or working in the same area as the credit union you join!

Keep your money local - join the credit union!


Neath Port Talbot Credit Union
26 Windsor Road, NEATH SA11 1LU
OPEN: Monday to Friday 9.30 to 2pm
Phone: 01639 632100/1

9:30 AM to 3:00 PM Monday to Friday. 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon on Saturdays.

Port Talbot Branch

50-54, Station Road,

Port Talbot, SA12 1LZ. 

9:30 AM to 3:00 PM Monday to Friday.

Commercial Road, 

Taibach

9:30 AM to 11:30 AM Monday to Friday.

Swansea Credit Union (LASA)

139 Walter Road Swansea SA1 5RQ 

Opening times Mon-Fri 10-3

Phone: 01792 643632

Minister welcomes Swansea’s steps to regeneration

Coastal Housing’s director of development Gerraint Oakley shows Wales’ Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis and Leader of Swansea Council David Phillips around the regeneration of High Street, Swans

Wales’ Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis, has welcomed the partnership approach that is showing progress in regenerating Swansea’s High Street and its surrounding area.

The Minister was in Swansea visiting projects that have benefited and received support from the Welsh Government Swansea Regeneration Area.

Amongst the highlights of his afternoon tour was a trip to Coastal Housing Group’s iconic Urban Village, to which the organisation has recently moved over 100 of its Swansea based staff. The Minister’s visit also took in progress on the voluntary landlord partnership initiative – an innovative multi-landowner approach to short term retail letting in partnership with Swansea Creative Hub – to improve the environment whilst promoting culture through imaginative use of spaces.

Coastal received £900,000 grant from the Swansea Regeneration Area for its Urban Village regeneration programme. It is intended to transform Swansea’s High Street, and bring Kings Lane back into use as the vibrant linkage between High Street and the Parc Tawe site. Boosting social and economic development, whilst improving the environment, the newly completed scheme results in a mixed use of up to eight retail units along High Street, with three floors of office space above.

Urban Village is the flagship development to kick-start the regeneration of High Street. It is complemented by a variety of programmes including Art Across the City and the Voluntary Landlord Partnership. Such programmes involve key partners including Coastal Housing Group, Welsh Government, Swansea City Council, Swansea Creative Hub and Swansea BID.
 

The Voluntary Landlord Partnership, a Coastal initiative working with Towncentred with the support of Regeneration Area grant funding, seeks to establish temporary uses of buildings and public space. It seeks to identify opportunities to support owners and potential users to set up arrangements including pop-up shops and re-using buildings. Art Across the City is an artist-led charity offering different ways for people to engage with contemporary art created for popular public spaces, giving everybody the chance to see and experience contemporary art without having to enter an art gallery.

The programmes complement works being delivered across Swansea under the collaborative City Centre Strategic Framework.

Huw Lewis said: “Through our various regeneration programmes the Welsh Government is helping to breathe new life into Swansea’s High Street, one of the key gateways to the city. It’s fantastic to see how the Urban Village is developing. It is a prime example of how effective the partnership approach to regeneration can be.”

Coastal Housing Group’s Chief Executive Tim Blanch said: “Urban Village is a flagship scheme to rejuvenate the area. It is complemented by a variety of innovative projects. Working in partnership, Coastal is seeking to explore opportunities to increase footfall and cultural and social activity in the area.”

Coastal Housing’s director of development Gerraint Oakley, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage, Huw Lewis, Leader of Swansea Council David Phillips and Coastal Housing Group’s Chief Executive Tim Blanch