Savings
A 1st Class way to save – whatever you’re saving for
Saving regularly can seem like an impossible task and confusing. How much do I save? How do I start saving? Where do I put my savings? What should I be saving for? At 1st Class Credit Union we make saving simple, start with as little as £4 per week/£16 per month to get you going. Whether your savings are for one of life’s untimely emergencies or for something more specific like a new car or your holiday, we can help you out.
Save regularly straight from your wages or by direct debit and watch your savings grow over time with our mobile app and website.
Start today and you won’t look back!
Regular Savings
Every member is allocated a regular savings account upon joining the credit union. Save for any reason using this account. Save straight from your deductions or by direct debit today to start building up your savings pot.
Join using your PhoneDuring your membership of 1st Class Credit Union, all members must follow the terms and conditions set out by the credit union. These must be agreed to before you can join our credit union. Please see below:
- A Share Account can be opened by completing a Membership Application. If further identification is required to open your account, we will contact you accordingly.
- To take full advantage of our products and services, you must have an active account with a minimum share balance of £5.00.
- Your membership will commence from the date of the first deposit via payroll deduction or direct debit.
- The minimum savings required by members is £4.00 weekly or £16.00 monthly.
- An annual dividend will be paid into your share account, subject to surplus, on all sums deposited. Dividend payments are gross of tax. The rate at which the dividend is paid is determined at the Annual General Meeting.
- If you wish to terminate your membership you can do so by requesting the relevant paperwork from the office. Any available shares will be paid to you on the closure of your account.
- An annual membership fee of £5.00 will be deducted from your share account before the financial year-end in September. Should you close your account during the financial year, the £5 fee will be deducted at that time.
- It is your responsibility to inform us of any changes in your details.
- We have the right to cancel your membership if we believe you have fraudulently acquired membership/services from us.
Christmas Savings Club
Would you like to ease the financial stress of Christmas each year? Why not open a Christmas Club Account today? It’s amazing how quickly it builds up – just £50 per month from February to November would give you £500 to spend.
Do you want to reduce the financial pressure of Christmas? Open a Christmas Club with us today. Saving even a small amount each week/month will ease the strain at the end of the year.
Your Christmas club account is also eligible for a dividend payment, meaning you will be rewarded for the amount of money you have saved. The receipt of a dividend is not guaranteed.
Don’t leave it to the last minute this year, start saving now! To find out more about our Christmas Club click here.
To open an account, login here.
Christmas Savings Club Terms & Conditions
Who can open a Christmas Savings Club?
You can apply to open a Christmas Savings Club if you are already an existing member of 1st Class Credit
Union.
What proof do I need to provide at the time of joining?
As you are already a member, we do not require any further proof when applying for a Christmas Savings Club.
1st Class Credit Union has the right to cancel membership if we believe you have fraudulently acquired
membership/services from us.
How do I make payments to my account, and for how much?
You can make payments to your Christmas Savings Club via the same payment method you have set
up for your current Credit Union account.
• The minimum savings per week/month is £5.
• Lump sum payments can be made by cash, cheque or Debit/Credit card to this account.
• There is a minimum share balance of £5 required at all times.
What if I want to change the amount I am saving?
You can adjust the amount you are saving at any time by completing the relevant form available on your
online account or by requesting a form from the office. When changing your savings amount, it would
be beneficial to contact the office to confirm the distribution across your account.
Are my savings protected?
Eligible deposits in 1st Class Credit Union Limited, are protected by the Financial Services Compensation
Scheme (FSCS). If insolvency of the Credit Union should occur, your eligible deposits will be repaid up to
the value of £85,000 by the Deposit Guarantee Scheme. More information on the FSCS is provided
overleaf, or by visiting www.FSCS.org.uk
Do I need to pay an annual admin fee for my Christmas Savings Club?
There are no admin fees for your Christmas Savings Club. However, if you wish to make a withdrawal
outwith the withdrawal period of 1st October-31st December, you will incur a £5 fee per transaction.
Are my Christmas savings eligible for dividends?
An Annual Dividend will be paid on savings held during the credit union's financial year(s), gross of tax,
subject to surplus. The dividend will be determined by the Board of Directors and ratified at the Annual
General Meeting and paid into this account within 21 days after AGM.
What if I want to close my account?
If you wish to close your Christmas Savings Club, you will need to contact the office to make this request.
At this time you will have the option to withdraw all funds from your Christmas Savings Club, or you can
request to transfer the funds to your Share 1 account. Please note, if you are closing the account outwith
the set withdrawal period, there will be a £5 fee.
Junior Saver
With our junior saver account, we can help you save for someone’s future. Whether it’s your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew, saving for their future couldn’t be easier. Whether our members are saving for their future, their first car, a home deposit, or their 16th/18th birthday, we can help. Funds are encouraged to be retained during the lifetime of the account but can be accessed if needed.
Apply through our member area. A junior is only eligible to join should they reside at the same address as you.
To open an account, login here.
Who can apply for a Junior Saver Account?
Current members of 1st Class Credit Union can apply to open a Junior Saver Account if they meet the following criteria:
• The junior saver must be aged between 0-18 years.
• The junior saver must be related to and reside at the same address as the current credit union member.
• The current credit union member will act as Trustee for the junior saver until they reach the age of 18.
• Documentation must be provided at the point of application to verify the junior savers identity and address. This can be a birth certificate and doctor/hospital letter.
How are payments made to the Junior Saver Account and for how much?
Deposits are made into the Junior Saver Account via the Trustees current deposit arrangement. The application form will ask how much you wish to save into the junior saver account and will give you the option to increase your payroll deduction/direct debit.
This will come off as one payment to the Credit Union, which will then be distributed upon receipt. There is a minimum requirement of £3 per week/month.
Junior Savers must hold the minimum balance of £4 in their account.
Are there any admin fees on the Junior Saver Account?
Junior accounts are not charged any admin fees throughout the term of membership.
What if I want to close the Junior Saver Account?
If you wish to close the Junior Saver Account, you will need to complete a termination form which can be requested from our office.
Any available shares will be paid to the Trustee, if they are still fully responsible for the junior savers account. If the Junior Saver is at the age of being in control of their own account, then they will be required to complete the form with the relevant details.
Will the Junior Saver receive a dividend?
As Junior Savers are not members of the Credit Union, dividend cannot be paid on deposits. However, the Credit Union can pay interest on the account.
The rate at which interest is paid will be agreed under the same terms as the dividend at the Annual General Meeting.
Are deposits into the Junior Saver Account protected?
All savings deposited into a junior account are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
What happens when the junior saver turns 18?
If a junior saver wishes to remain a member following their 18th birthday, and they still qualify for membership under our common bond, they are required to complete a Family Membership Application in order to become an adult member and gain full member+ ship (unless employed by one of our payroll partners, this will be a Membership Application). An application will be posted to the Trustee prior to their birthday.
Personal Information
When you apply for membership with us, you give 1st Class Credit Union permission to make searches about you and use certain information about you, verifying your identity, and preventing or detecting financial crime. For further information please see the Privacy Policy attached.
