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Financial wellbeing has been a long term focus for us at NatWest Group. We’ve recently reached a goal set in 2020 to help 2 million people to save more than £100 for the first time, helping to build a savings habit and resilience for the future. Over 1.46m customers have signed up to save using round-ups since its launch and have saved almost £240m.

We’re now working towards helping 10m a year with their financial wellbeing by the end of 2023. We’re aiming to reach this target through the use of through digital tools and personalised engagements, such as financial health checks, and the recently extended Know Your Credit Score service now available to non-customers.

 

Alison Rose, CEO, NatWest Group, said: “Supporting people to manage their money and reach their financial goals is central to our Purpose. We recognise the important role we play in helping people build their financial capability, and this new targeted support will ensure that people, families and business, right across the country are given the tools to take control and start to thrive."

 

Through the rise in the cost of living, we’ve been partnering with charities to help those most in need. We set up the Circle Fund with SafeLives in 2020 which has now distributed £1m in crisis funding to 2000 people aiding their safety and recovery. The majority of the funds have gone to women aged 25-34 with young children fleeing abusive relationships.

 

Ellen Miller, Interim Chief Executive of SafeLives said: “The Circle Fund has made a big impact on the lives of thousands of survivors of domestic abuse and their children right across the UK. The Fund has helped us to get support to where it’s needed most, via local domestic abuse services, 40% of which are small specialist organisations supporting marginalised communities.  It has given survivors freedom to rebuild their lives and it’s sobering that a relatively small sum of money can be life changing. “We’re delighted to have the support of NatWest, in helping people reach safety and live the lives they want after harm has happened.  Domestic abuse is everyone’s business and together we can make it stop.”

 

In January this year we distributed £900,000 to Responsible Finance to support Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) in delivering small grants to individuals who can’t access lending. Over £245,000 has now been distributed to 2472 households/people.

 

Theodora Hadjimichael, CEO of Responsible Finance, said

"Every year, tens of thousands of people save money and avoid higher-cost and illegal lenders thanks to a Responsible Finance member. But community lenders can't offer credit to everyone who applies. The NatWest and Responsible Finance Hardship Grant programme is an exact fit with why we exist: to help households make their financial position stronger. Through this partnership, NatWest is demonstrating leadership and purpose in the financial sector and we are really pleased with the success of this programme. It is heart-rending to hear the challenges so many are going through but we are grateful that these small grants are having such an enormous impact in homes all over the UK."

 

We’re here to help

We recently announced new measures to help more people take control of their financial wellbeing.

 

Helping people understand their credit score

We’ve made the Know Your Credit Score service freely available to all non-customers; offering free credit scores, personalised insights and tips to manage and improve it with supporting tools that can allow you to simulate how future financial actions might change it, for example taking out a loan or new credit card.

 

Support for personal mortgage customers in difficulty

We stopped all fees and charges for personal mortgage customers in persistent financial difficulty who are receiving help from our specialist Financial Health and Support teams.

 

Training more colleagues to help customers

We've trained 130 facilitators who are ready to deliver workshops on money management and fraud awareness and we intend to train more during 2023.

Disclaimers

This is for media use and not a financial promotion

Information about Know Your Credit Score

Know Your Credit Score is free to use and available for those aged 18 and over with a UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man address following a successful registration with TransUnion. All data is provided by TransUnion and you don’t need to be a NatWest customer.

Information about mortgages

NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank mortgages are available to over 18s. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

This announcement contains management assessment (i) unaudited internal data derived from management systems that are not necessarily part of the internal controls and procedures over financial reporting that generate our audited financial statements, and which are considerably less sophisticated than the systems and internal controls for financial reporting and also includes manual processes; and (ii) unaudited financial, statistical and other information and data published by third parties. This may result in non-comparable information between organisations and between reporting periods within organisations as methodologies develop.

Whilst the information in this announcement is believed to be reliable, it has not been independently verified by NatWest Group and NatWest Group makes no representation or warranty (express or implied) of any kind, as regards the accuracy or completeness of this information, nor does it accept any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage arising in any way from any use made of or reliance placed on, this information. Unless otherwise stated, any views, forecasts, or estimates are solely those of the [NatWest Group Economics Department], as of this date and are subject to change without notice.

 

Caution about Forward-looking Statements in this announcement.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements, aims, ambitions, estimates, intentions and plans, including but not limited to NatWest Group’s intention to help people to manage their financial wellbeing and reach their financial goals through digital tools and personalised engagements, such as financial health checks starting with 6.5 million people in 2023 and increasing on annual basis between 2024 and 2027, to reach 10 million in 2027. 

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that might cause actual results and performance to differ materially from any expected future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences in current expectations include, but are not limited to, future growth initiatives, the outcome of legal, regulatory and governmental actions and investigations, the level and extent of future impairments and write-downs, legislative, political, fiscal and regulatory developments, accounting standards, competitive conditions, technological developments, interest and exchange rate fluctuations, general economic and political conditions and the impact of climate-related risks and the transitioning to a net zero economy.

 

Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this document speak only as of the date of this document and NatWest Group does not assume or undertake any obligation or responsibility to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

 

This cautionary statement should not be regarded as a complete and comprehensive statement and should be read together with the ‘Risk Factors’ contained in the NatWest Group plc 2022 Annual Report and Accounts published on 17 February 2023.

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