What is it about?

The UK government wants to increase the capacity of credit unions to improve financial inclusion. However some credit unions are concerned about what they fear are the implications of the UK government’s reform proposals. This article examines some of the reasons for this and what this implies about the limitations of voluntary associations in addressing social exclusion.

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Why is it important?

There are an estimated 1.4 million people in the UK without access to a suitable bank account. Credit unions are regarded as one of the principal means to address this problem. However the reluctance of some credit unions to accept this role reveals the limitations of non-statutory responses to general welfare provision

Perspectives

The article explores not only the nature of financial exclusion and the UK credit union sector but the wider issue of the capacity of voluntary collective associations to provide reliable social protection.

Professor Stephen Sinclair
Glasgow Caledonian University

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This page is a summary of: Financial inclusion and social financialisation: Britain in a European context, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, October 2013, Emerald,
DOI: 10.1108/ijssp-09-2012-0080.
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