NHF: RBS and National Housing Federation unite againt financial inclusion

Friday, 23 March 2007 12:00 AM

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group and the National Housing Federation, representing housing associations providing affordable homes for five million people in England, will today announce details of their partnership to improve financial inclusion among housing association tenants and residents.

The partnership will explore ways of helping tenants on low incomes to manage their finances and the Federation has appointed consultant Niall Alexander to take this forward.

The joint announcement is being made at the Federation's annual Housing Finance Conference & Exhibition. David Orr, chief executive, National Housing Federation and Stephen Moir, Head of Group Community Investment, RBS, both speaking at the conference, will say:

"The inspiration for the partnership between RBS and the National Housing Federation is the belief that the poorest households, including housing association tenants are often unable to access mainstream financial services such as affordable credit.

"No one organisation can solve the problem on its own but by working in partnership, RBS and the National Housing Federation can develop solutions which will improve the lives of the most financially excluded households. The partnership will explore means of helping tenants to manage their finances, save for their future and access banking services."

As part of the partnership, RBS is funding a new temporary post within the Federation which has been filled by Niall Alexander, who has an excellent track record in developing financial inclusion schemes and products within the affordable housing sector.

While working for the Federation, Niall will develop business models for financial inclusion products including savings and loans schemes to reach financially excluded housing association tenants.

Notes to Editors

The National Housing Federation represents 1,300 independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England. Together, our members provide 2 million affordable homes for around 5 million people.
www.housing.org.uk

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group ("RBS Group") is one of the world's leading financial services companies providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, wealth management and other finance-related activities. RBS Group operates in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific serving more than 35 million
customers world-wide and employing more than 140,000 people.

iN business for neighbourhoods is a long-term project to improve the performance of housing associations and challenge negative perceptions of the sector and its customers. www.inbiz.org

Pathway to Financial Inclusion campaign: www.housing.org.uk/debt

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