Savings

Becoming a member

To save with us you need to join as a member. It couldn’t be simpler, just click the “Apply Now” button above and fill out the online application form.

Usually, we can check your identity electronically avoiding the complications of providing proof of identity documents.

Once our checks are completed, (this usually under takes 24 hours), you will receive a welcome email providing you with your member number and easy instructions on how to activate your account and access your member area.

This is where you will be able to easily start saving and manage your account.

Membership costs £2.75, we also only take a £2.75 annual administration fee and encourage members to make regular savings into their accounts (although these savings do not need to be a large amount!).

You can save regularly by sending us funds electronically (via internet banking or by standing order) or by sending funds ad hoc whenever you want to save. The Maximum amount allowed to be deposited in one account is currently £15,000.

If you would like to open a joint account both parties must apply online following the account opening process. Please then contact the office to request a joint account at enquiries@ncbank.co.uk

In some cases it may be necessary to ask you to provide additional proof of identity as described below.

Other ways to join:

By Payroll Deduction

If you work for one of our Payroll Partners then the easiest way to join is online. Click on payroll in our main menu for all the information you need to join us.

By Telephone or E-Mail

Please send an e-mail to enquiries@ncbank.co.uk, or call us on 01670 522779. or call into your local community bank Collection/Information Point or NCC Customer Information Centre.

Groups, organisations or businesses can join us too – this is known as being a Corporate Member.  To find out more and download and application click here.

What You Will Need for Additional Proof of Identity

Sometimes additional proof of Identity will be needed. Here is some useful information on the types of identification that can be used to verify your identity, we need one proof of identity and then one document for a proof of address.

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Groups, organisations or businesses can join us too – this is known as being a Corporate Member. Whether you are a Incorporated (such as a PLC, LLP or CIC) or Unincorporated (such as a sole trader, partnership, project group, club or society) – using the community bank as a savings account provides a safe home for any monies held and at the same time helps us create our “lending fund” to members who require a loan. A small administrative charge (currently £5) is levied to offset the costs of account opening process.

Please note some important elements for this type of account.

• This account is not designed as a transactional bank account and should only be used when a minimal amount of withdrawals would be required
• The account must have 2 signatories only
• Any withdrawals require both signatories authorisation
• Details of a nominated bank account (in either the organisation’s name or a signatory) must be held to receive any withdrawals
• The maximum amount of deposits held in any one account is currently £15,000

We have an application form (link below) which can be downloaded, completed and emailed to enquiries@ncbank.co.uk

Here are some questions we get asked…

Who can join?

Anyone living or working North of Tyne or employees of:

• Northumberland County Council
• Northumbria Health Care Trust
• Bernicia
• Northumberland Church Of England Academy
• Northumberland Citizens Advice Bureau
• Renolit
• Northumbrian Water Group
• Inspired Outsourcing
• Allendale Cooperative

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How do I join?

On line by clicking here. Alternatively, call us on 01670 522779 and we can help you further.

When your account is opened, you will receive a Welcome Letter confirming your membership details and how to use your account.

Joint accounts can be opened once both parties have become a member. Please follow the account opening process and then contact the office to open the joint account.

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What Identification do I need?

We perform an electronic Identification Search as a part of the account opening procedure. In the event that this fails we will require sight of two items of identification, one from each of the following groups:

Photo ID: Examples include: Passport, Driving Licence, Bus Pass.
Address Confirmation: Examples Include: Bank Statement, Utility or Council Tax bill.

These can be scanned and sent with an on-line application, or they can be photocopied and attached to the application form posted via Royal Mail or handed in through one of the NCC Information Centres. (Listed on our website)

We also need your National Insurance Number and details of your nominated bank account to receive withdrawals.

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Is there a joining fee?

Yes, £2.75 and then we charge £2.75 annual administration fee at some point in the year, usually in April.

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Can Groups, Organisations or Businesses join?

Yes, known as Corporate Members. You can join using the application form which can be found on our website. This can be downloaded, completed and emailed to enquiries@ncbank.co.uk

Corporate Accounts must have 2 signatories and a nominated bank account for the receipt of monies withdrawn. A joining fee and administration fee is charged as per an individual account (see above)

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Who are you regulated by and are my details safe?

We are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority, regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and are fully compliant with Data Protection Laws. Our Privacy Policy can be found on our website in full and can be obtained from our Ashington Office (www.northumberlandcommunitybank.co.uk). Your details are not sold to anyone else and only used for our purposes.

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Do you have branches?

We have use of NCC’s Information Centres where you can collect/drop off application forms and ID, obtain help, make a general enquiry and have appointments. You can also pay into your account via the NCC Information Points machines. See our website for more details. Our administration work is carried out in Ashington.

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How do I amend my details?

By using the Members Hub you can update your details and select your privacy settings.

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How do I access my account?

Accessing your account is easy by logging into our Members Area or via our mobile app which is provided by our technology partners. Our app can be downloaded from apps.apple.com or play.google.com depending on your device.

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What interest do I get and when?

As a financial co-operative we do not pay interest but can pay a dividend annually if sufficient profit is made. For 2018 we paid a dividend of 0.5%. We may introduce an interest bearing share account.

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Is my money safe?

Savings up to £85,000 are automatically protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. (Please note the maximum deposit per account is currently £15,000)

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How often do I get a statement?

You can register online via our website and Members Hub where you will be able to see your account balance and transactions at any time. A statement will be provided upon request via our Head Office or Annually (sent with our AGM invitation).

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How do I pay money in?

From a bank account you can set up a Standing Order or pay us through electronic banking, details will be on your Welcome Letter. If you want to pay in cash you can do this through the NCC Information Points, you can also pay cash in at our Ashington Office. You can also pay in via your payroll if your company has a scheme in place and have any state benefits, eg pension or child benefit paid into us direct. If no bank account is held, we can make alternative arrangements. To make a payment to your account with us, you can do so with the following details:

Account Number – 20161712
Sort Code – 60-83-01
Reference – Membership Number

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How do I get my money out?

You can make a withdrawal online via our Members Hub or by contacting us by telephone before 1:30pm a bank transfer will be made to your nominated bank account via the Faster Payment Service which all banks use. If no bank account is held, we can make alternative arrangements. You can now make a withdrawal and collect the cash at any Post Office – please contact the office for further details.

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Do you offer a Payroll Deduction Scheme?

Yes. If you would like to talk to us about this or would like us to set up a scheme with your employer, or if you are an employer and would like to know more, please get in touch. Members who are in such a scheme enjoy extra benefits, including discounted loans.

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Can Children join?

Yes – as a Junior Member. The account is designed for all children from new-born to 16 years. Whilst no dividend is paid, we intend to match any dividend paid, with interest for our Junior Members.

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How do I contact Northumberland Community Bank?

Postal Address: Northumberland Community Bank, 65 Station Road, Ashington NE63 8RX
Cash Transactions and Enquiries: Tuesday – Thursday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Online Enquiries: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Phone: 01670 522779
Email: enquiries@ncbank.co.uk
In Person: Drop into one of Northumberland County Council Information Centres in Alnwick, Ashington, Bedlington, Berwick, Blyth, Cramlington, Queens Hall Hexham, Morpeth and Seaton Delaval.

These Terms and Conditions set out the standards by which Northumberland Community Bank (NCB) operates and by which members agree to abide when joining NCB. They should be read with our Rules which will be sent on request.

Introduction

1. Northumberland Community Bank (NCB) is a trading arm of the Credit Union for South East Northumberland Limited which was incorporated in 2008, itself created from an original credit union in 1990. NCB offer financial products, mainly loans and savings to members joining under a range of criteria.
2. Credit unions work by lending the money that members are saving with us. The interest that we charge on loans helps to pay our running costs and of making loans available.
3. Credit unions are owned by their members, who are able to have their say on how we are run, most noticeably at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), when officers are elected, accounts are presented and any dividend is proposed. Each adult member gets one vote, regardless of how much they hold in savings.
4. A member of NCB aged 18 years or over can receive a copy of the annual Report and Accounts on request and will be invited to attend the AGM as a voting member (although there is no obligation to attend).
5. Any surplus made by NCB at the end of the year is distributed to savers or used to develop the business. We have no external shareholders.
6. Credit unions are limited as to whom they can accept as members. Please see the section on ‘Eligibility’ for details.

Our Commitment to Members

1. We operate our services responsibly and aim to provide products that are affordable and suitable for your needs, based on the information that you have provided to us.
2. We will give you information about our products and services and how they work in a clear and understandable way, so that you can decide what’s best for you and your needs.
3. We will never pressure you into taking out credit (or any other products).
4. We run the Credit Union for the benefit of members. Decisions are made based on what is best for all – or the majority – of members and are governed by our Rules and a framework of regulation.
5. We are proud to offer services to everyone within our common bond. Anyone may join and save with us if they meet our eligibility criteria. Aside from making the checks outlined below for eligibility, anti-fraud and anti-money laundering purposes, we do not conduct checks on your finances, circumstances or status for the purposes of joining and opening savings accounts (further checks are carried out for loan applications).

Financial Advice and Debt Counselling

1. We are not able to offer any general advice regarding financial products, nor can we recommend any particular provider. We suggest seeking independent financial advice if required.
2. The guidance that we as a credit union are able to provide on your finances is limited to that related to our own products. In specific cases, e.g. where a member is having payment difficulties, we can also offer budgeting support from a trained staff member or volunteer.
3. We are not licensed to provide any debt counselling or advocacy services and suggest seeking free advice from a debt charity if required, such as your local Citizen’s Advice, StepChange or the Money Advice Service. We do not recommend the use of commercial debt advisors.

Eligibility

1. To join NCB, you must be eligible at the time of applying. Our eligibility criteria are collectively known as our ‘common bond’, which contains various ways in which you may be eligible for membership (only one need apply), including where you live or work. Up-to-date information on our eligibility criteria can be found on our website.
2. We are obliged by law to satisfy ourselves as to your identity and place of residence. We may collect this evidence manually or obtain your permission to electronically verify your details. We will store copies of documents obtained or the results of the verification as necessary (see below for information about how we look after your personal information).
3. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are part of our common bond and will contact you if we need further information.
4. Once you are a member of NCB, you can remain a member, even if the original eligibility criteria no longer apply (for example, if you move out of the area or change your job).

Charges

1. NCB have no hidden charges for the services that we provide to our members. Any charges are clearly set out and are intended to cover the cost of providing that service.
2. Interest on loans is charged on the reducing balance of the loan, and the rate will be fixed for the whole repayment period.
3. We will not charge commission or early redemption fees on any of our loans.
4. We reserve the right to require you to pay our reasonable costs and expenses if we have to take action to collect payments owed, including legal costs.
5. Our services are provided on a ‘reasonable usage’ basis. Where applicable, we reserve the right to charge for services that are not being used as intended. This will be communicated to you, with details of how to avoid these charges.

Services provided by third parties

1. We work with other organisations to offer services that we wouldn’t be able to provide on our own.
2. We will do our best to provide up-to-date information and charges for these services.
3. Some services are provided to the credit union by authorised third parties to help us with processing or for compliance and regulatory reasons. These may warrant the disclosure of more than just your basic contact details. You agree that personal information held by the credit union may be disclosed on a confidential basis, and in accordance with the GDPR 2018 (and successive Acts and amendments), to any such third parties for this purpose.

Discussion of Your Account by a Third Party

1. You can authorise us to communicate with a trusted third party regarding your account, for example, to interpret information into BSL or another spoken language. This must be authorised in writing and does not give the other person permission to carry out transactions on your account, unless you have specifically authorised them to do so (see 28).
2. You can authorise another person to operate your Account. You will need to provide authorisation in writing. You can also do this by signing a power of attorney but you should take legal advice before doing so. If you authorise another person to operate your account then you will be responsible for their actions or omissions as if they were your own.
3. It is the account holder’s responsibility to ensure that they seek appropriate advice where necessary.

Pausing payments, minimum balances, and dormancy

1. We understand that at times you may wish to reduce the amount that you are saving or even stop payments altogether. Please call us on 01670 522779 as soon as possible (some payment methods require notice) and we will help you to do this.
2. Maintaining an account requires that a minimum deposit of £5 is held in your membership account.
3. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, member accounts that persist in violation of minimum shareholding requirements may be closed and any remaining balance transferred to the property of NCB.
4. An account becomes ‘dormant’ when there have been no transactions for twelve months or more.
5. We pass the cost of servicing a dormant account to members by way of an annual fee. When the balance reaches zero, the account will be closed.
6. At our discretion we will take steps to find members whose accounts are dormant so that we can pay them any balance held. We will take any costs incurred (e.g. of using a tracing agency) from the amount paid.

If you are concerned about loan repayments

1. Please get in touch as soon as possible, by phone on 01670 522779 or by email to enquiries@northumberlandcommunitybank.co.uk if you think that you won’t be able to keep up with your repayments. The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that we’ll be able to find a way to help you.

General

1. Failure by NCB to follow any of the procedures set out herein shall not invalidate the remaining terms.
2. You must let us know of any changes to your contact details as soon as you can (including address, phone number and email address). You can do this by contacting us or via the Members Area on our Website www.northumberlandcommunitybank.co.uk
3. Postal statements for your accounts with NCB are issued annually. Additional statements can be requested at any time. There may be a small charge to cover the cost of additional postal statements.
4. You can choose how you wish to be contacted when you open your account or change your preference at any time by contacting ourselves or changing your details via the Members Area.
5. We have the right to offset any amounts you deposit to any of the accounts you hold with us against any amounts you owe to us. This means that we have the right to (for example) to move money from your Share account to pay loan arrears, or other amounts which are due.
6. For more information about NCB’s products, please visit our website, contact us on 01670 522779 or email enquiries@ncbank.co.uk.

Account closures and withdrawal of services

1. A member may leave the credit union at any time without penalty, providing no debts are outstanding.
2. Any children’s accounts for which you act as trustee may be moved to the control of an active member or closed, as preferred.
3. As a private membership organisation, we have the right to suspend or withdraw services at any time from any member who does not abide by our Rules (in spirit or letter), or if we suspect fraudulent activity.
4. Our staff, both paid staff and volunteers, are here to help you and have the right to go about their work safely. We have a zero tolerance policy on abusive language and behaviour and will not hesitate to withdraw membership from anyone who makes them feel threatened in any way, regardless of the intent.

Use of your information

1. More information on what information we hold and how we use and store it can be found in our Privacy Policy on our website or provided on request.

Changes in Terms and Conditions

1. We reserve the right to adapt or amend these Terms and Conditions at any time.

Complaints

1.  Our staff and volunteers work hard to provide members with a high-quality service. Should we fall short, please let us know and we will try to put it right. If you are still not satisfied, you can use our Complaints Procedure.
2. Complaints about any aspect of our service can be made in person, by post, or by email. More information can be found on our website and our Complaints Procedure is provided on request.
3. If you wish to make a complaint in writing, you should address it to: The Complaints Officer, Northumberland Community Bank, 65 Station Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8RX.
4. If you wish to speak to someone regarding your complaint, please call us in the first instance on 01670 522779.
5. We are a member of the Financial Ombudsman Service, so you can ask them to look at your complaint, provided you have tried to resolve the matter with us first.
6. Contact details for the Financial Ombudsman Service are: The Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SR.

Statutory Details

Northumberland Community Bank Limited trades from its registered office at 65 Station Road, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 8RX.

Its telephone number is 01670 522779, and its email address for general correspondence and enquiries is enquiries@ncbank.co.uk.

Northumberland Community Bank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, registration 214298.

Northumberland Community Bank is covered by the Financial Services