UK Savings Week: Helping People Build Financial Resilience
Posted on Sep 22, 2025UK Savings Week (22 – 28 September 2025) is an annual campaign designed to encourage people across the country to develop better saving habits. At a time when millions of households are struggling to put money aside, Voyager Alliance are proud to highlight the vital role credit unions play in helping people start saving – and keep saving.
There are around 14 million people in the UK who have less than £100 in savings to fall back on in an emergency. The latest Financial Lives Survey also shows that one in ten people have no savings at all, while a further fifth have less than £1,000 set aside.
Credit unions exist to provide a safe, supportive environment for members to build financial security. Membership of British credit unions has now reached an all-time high of 1.52 million people – including adult and junior members – reflecting a 3% increase over the past year and an impressive 8.8% rise since 2020. Member savings remain strong too, with total shares at £2.34 billion in 2024, up 37% since 2020.
As well as being community-led financial institutions, credit unions also work closely with employers to deliver workplace savings schemes. These partnerships allow staff to save directly from their pay, helping them to build up savings over time while also having access to affordable loans if needed. For employers, such schemes support employee wellbeing and reduce financial stress in the workforce.
Voyager Alliance currently helps members save over £38.4m using either their standard membership savings account or one of their personalised savings accounts, providing the security of knowing they can deal with the unexpected and plan for the future.
James Smith, Head of HR at Merseyrail – one of the payroll partners – said:
“You have been immensely important, and I know the impact you have had on some of our employees. Particularly those who have never really taken the subject of their financial resilience seriously. It goes a long way in supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff at Merseyrail, and I look forward to more next year.”
As more people look for practical ways to manage their money, credit unions like Voyager Alliance are continuing to expand their reach and impact – proving they are an essential part of the country’s financial landscape.
More on credit unions
A credit union is a financial co-operative which provides savings, loans and a range of services to its members. It is owned and controlled by the members.
There are over 200 credit unions in Great Britain, with membership at an all-time high of 1.52 million people. These people, including adults and children, trust credit unions with over £2 billion of their savings.
Credit unions come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re looking for a credit union with online and phone banking, a payroll partnership with your employer, a local branch or service point you can walk into – or a combination of all three – there is a credit union to suit everyone.