Plymouth MP visits award-winning Citizens Advice partnership helping community with the cost-of-living

Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, visited Yorkshire Building Society’s branch in Plymouth to hear how an innovative partnership with Citizens Advice is supporting local people with the cost-of-living. The Shadow Minister for Defence met local staff from the Society and Citizens Advice advisers, who told him how important the partnership is proving in offering assistance to households in the area.

Yorkshire Building Society funds Citizens Advice advisers to hold free, confidential appointments at least one day a week across 46 locations, including Plymouth. The appointments are open to everyone, not only Yorkshire Building Society customers. The Citizens Advice advisers offer independent and impartial advice in private meeting rooms to assist people with a wide range of issues. Each hour-long appointment is free, confidential and can be booked directly by contacting a participating branch.

Luke Pollard, Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said: "In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, more and more people in Plymouth need help and financial support. Finding out what support is available easily without stigma is so important. 

"I commend Yorkshire Building Society for partnering with Citizens Advice. These free advice sessions in their Armada Way branch will help people access support. This is a model I hope more high street banks and building societies follow."

Martin Trueman, branch manager at Yorkshire Building Society in Plymouth, said: “By partnering with Citizens Advice, we’ve increased the availability and accessibility of support for people in our region facing any number of issues during these challenging times.

“Through our national partnership, Yorkshire Building Society and Citizens Advice have so far supported over 3,600 people in local communities like ours across the UK.”

Emma Symonds, Director of Operations for Citizens Advice Plymouth, said: "This year we have seen so 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