Credit Unions which will accept Local Housing Allowance Payments
Under the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) system, which is now being used for all new Housing Benefit Applications, the benefit is paid direct to the tenant, even if both the landlord and the tenant would prefer it to be paid direct to the landlord.
One solution to this problem is to arrange for the rent to be paid to a Credit Union (sometimes known as 'friendly societies'). They will set up a special account for the LHA payments, which will then be paid over to the landlord, generally by standing order. This avoids the problem of the tenant spending the money by mistake, or of the LHA being swallowed up by the tenants overdraft.
The only problem is that not all Credit Unions offer this service. Here at Landlord-Law we are compiling a list of those who do. Those we are aware of are listed below, alphabetically by county or major city. If you know of any others please let us know. Please contact the organisations direct for more information about their services.
(NB You may also want to check out >> Tasker payment services)
Counties and Cities:
Birmingham
Citysave Credit Union
16 Waterloo Street
Birmingham
B2 5UG
Telephone number: 0121 303 4013
Fax: 0121 303 1329
Email: enquiries@citysave.org.uk
Website: www.citysave.org.uk
Membership area: people who live or work in the Birmingham area
Please email for more information about the Rent Direct service for landlords and tenants.
Bristol
Bristol Credit Union Ltd
The web-site is www.bristolcreditunion.org
112/114 Cheltenham Road
Bristol, BS6 5RW
Tel: 0117 924 7309
Available for residents of Bristol
Dorset
Coastal Credit Union Ltd
The website is www.coastalcreditunion.co.uk
531/533 Christchurch Road
Boscombe, Bournemouth
Dorset BH1 4AG
Tel: 01202 566878
Email: email boscombecoastal@btconnect.com
Available to anyone who lives or works within the BH postcode
Essex
Southend Credit Union Ltd
The website is www.southendcreditunion.co.uk
3 Warrior Square
Southend on sea
Essex SS1 2 JN
Phone: 01702 611912
Fax : 01702 611982
Email : info@scul.org.uk
Greater Manchester
Welcome Credit Union ltd
The website is www.welcomecreditunion.co.uk
Council Tax Offices
Moore Street East
Whelley
Wigan WN1 3XZ
Tel: 01942 828702
Fax: 01942 828719
Mobile:07508965796
E-mail: info@welcomecreditunion.co.uk
Open to anyone who lives or works in Wigan
Hampshire
Hampshire Credit Union ltd
The website is www.hampshirecreditunion.co.uk
There are currently two branches:
Portsmouth Savers
97 Fratton Road
Portsmouth PO1 5AG
Tel 023 9282 7980, and
Winchester Savers
6 Middle Brook Street
Winchester, SO23 8BQ
Tel 019 6282 0424
Available to people living or working in Hampshire. NB Branches in Southampton and Basingstoke Savers should open soon.
Kent
Kent Savers Credit Union
The Old Town Hall
Market Square
Graavesend DA11 0AZ
Tel: 0333 321 9050
Email: info@kentsavers.co.uk
Website: www.kentsavers.co.uk
Membership area: People who live or work in Kent and Medway.
Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire Credit Union Ltd
162 High Street
Scunthorpe
North Lincolnshire
DN15 6EH
Tel: 01724 868888
London
Camdenplus Credit union Ltd
107 Kingsgate Road, London, NW6 2JH.
Tel: 020 7372 5878
Email admin@camdenplus.co.uk
www.camdenplus.co.uk
Available for residents in Camden
Waltham Forest Community Credit Union
4 Church Hill
Walthamstow
London E17 3AG
Tel: 020 8520 8740
Fax: 020 8509 9499
Available for people who live, work, study or worship in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. There is a special service for landlords and you can download a form from the >> website.
Norfolk
Rainbow Saver Anglia Credit Union Ltd
Email: administrator@rainbowsaver.co.uk
www.rainbowsaver.co.uk, tel 01502 584854.
Available for Residents in East Anglia, with offices in Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Peterborough, and Huntingdon
Nottingham
Nottingham Credit Union
Registered Office:
69 Maid Marian Way
Nottingham. NG1 6AJ
Telephone number: 0115 828 3121
Website:www.nottinghamcu.co.uk
Membership area: anyone who lives or works in the City of Nottingham and County of Nottinghamshire
Somerset
North Somerset Credit Union
13 Orchard Street, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1RG
Tel/Fax 01934 429573
www.wsmdcu.org.uk
Membership is open to anyone working or living in the unitary authority area of North Somerset.
Suffolk
Ipswich and Suffolk Credit Union Ltd
Email: ipscreditunion@tiscali.co.uk
Tel: 01473 690690
www.iscu.org.uk
Available for Residents in Suffolk, with offices in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Bury St Edmunds
Rainbow Saver Anglia Credit Union Ltd
Email: administrator@rainbowsaver.co.uk
Tel: 01502 584854
www.rainbowsaver.co.uk.
Available for Residents in East Anglia, with offices in Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Peterborough, and Huntingdon
Wales
DragonSavers Credit Union
107 Bute Street
Treorchy
Rhondda
CF42 6AU
Tel: 01443 777043
www.dragonsavers.org.uk
They cover the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taff
West Midlands
6 Towns Credit Union Ltd
Tel: 0121 553 3110
www.sixtowns.co.uk
Available to Residents in Sandwell, West Bromwich
Fairshare Credit Union Ltd
Fairshare House, Telford, TF3 4HS
Tel: 01952 282528
Available to residents of Telford And Wrekin
Wolverhampton City Credit Union Ltd
73 Worcester Street.
Wolverhampton
West Midlands. WV2 4LE
Telephone/Fax: 01902 572340.
email: wolfcul@yahoo.co.uk
Website - www.wolfsavingsandloans.co.uk
Worcestershire
Worcestershire Credit Union (t/as Black Pear Savings & Loans)
Tel: 01527 63310
5 Market Walk
Redditch
Worcestershire
B97 4HN
www.blackpear.org.uk
