The FCA estimates that 12.9 million UK adults have low financial resilience – that’s one in every four. With millions struggling to make ends meet, community finance options are an increasingly important consideration, but are often neglected in conversations around financial inclusion.
In this whitepaper – Redefining community finance: unlocking pathways to financial inclusion – we will explore how community finance should be redefined to make it more inclusive, accessible, and fit for purpose to tackle today’s financial exclusion challenges.
The report will explore the current and long-term barriers that community finance organisations are facing in being able a viable option for more financially underserved consumers, from unfavourable connotations in society, to lack of investment, and niche products to regulatory burdens, and lay out tangible steps for how these can be addressed through collaborative and united action from the government and financial services sector.
The whitepaper will feature commentary from experts and changemakers from across the payments sector, including academics, credit unions, banks, industry bodies, and consumer champions.
Once published, the report will form the basis of discussion for industry events and be shared with policymakers both at a national and regional level. It will be used as a tool to drive long-term, meaningful reform, with the goal of unlocking access to financial services for underserved individuals and boosting inclusion nationwide.
The whitepaper will be available to download and read in early June 2024.