Support Resources
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting us all, it is alright if you are not currently in the position to save. If you need help in managing your money, here are some organisations that are ready to offer you expert and impartial advice, as well as resources.
Money Helper – Free and impartial money and pension guidance.
On their website they host different savings and mortgage calculators to help you take exact stock of your money, where you might have space to cut back on costs and many more things. If you are struggling with the cost of living, they have specific articles that can aid your worries. Have a look at their articles here.
National Debtline – Free independent debt advice.
Not only does this charity offer free debt advice via their webpages, but it also allows for online chatting via the phone or their webchat to their debt advisors. As they are authorised and regulated via the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), you can be confident in National Debtline that their advice is held to a high standard and within your best interests. If you need debt advice, have a look to their webpage here.
Step Change – Expert debt advice and fee-free debt management.
They offer articles and savings calculators to help you understand the state of your finances, as well as offering specific advice for each of your potential financial needs. If you’re not sure where to start, their quick questionnaire will help you figure out what kind of help you might need, and then they’ll provide you with their relevant articles. If you’re not sure where to start, take their questionnaire here.
Citizens Advice – Assisting people with legal, debt, consumer housing and more.
Citizens Advice covers a wide base of potential concerns, with financial advice being one of the key sectors next to potential health or family concerns. Alongside their articles of advice, they also offer template letters to creditors that you are able to adapt to your own needs. Take a look at their website here.
Take Five – Impartial advice that helps prevent email, phone-based and online fraud.
Take Five is a national campaign that empowers both businesses and individuals alike to better protect themselves against financial fraud. Their motto of Stop, Protect and Challenge offers insight on how to make sure you are not a target of financial fraud. The have various support pages for protecting both yourself and your business from online fraud. Take Five also endeavour to update their website whenever a scam is becoming more popular to keep people aware. If you’re not sure how to protect yourself from online fraud, have a look at their website.
Related Articles
Industry
JUN 09, 2026
Harpenden launch Expat mortgages
FOR INTERMEDIARY/PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ONLY. NOT FOR CONSUMER USE.
Industry
MAY 26, 2026
Member Notice – Harpenden Online scheduled maintenance
Community
MAY 20, 2026
Jon’s Savings Blog – ISA Changes in 2027
There’s a famous saying: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second‑best time is now.” Well, when it comes to ISAs… the tree is about to get a little smaller.
Industry
APR 22, 2026
Member Notice – Staff training 23rd April
Latest News
APR 17, 2026
A Q&A with our CEO Tracie
Here’s a quick Q&A from our CEO Tracie Meadows diving into our new rebrand.
Industry
JAN 22, 2026
We celebrate our new branch opening in Harpenden
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new branch, located right on the High Street, in one of the busiest areas of Harpenden. The doors opened on the 15th of January, with the event being kicked off by celebrations and excitement from colleagues and members alike. Local members were offered the chance to visit and be a VIP guest to see the grand opening and were greeted by some food and hot drinks while they got to have a look around the new branch or ask our branch team any questions that they had. It was lovely to see so many members come and show their support for us. Also there to show their support were colleagues from the Harpenden Hopper, a local charity that we have supported for a few years. We were also joined by both the Mayor of Harpenden as well as our local MP. After some lovely speeches from our Chair and the Mayor all about the community-focus of the branch, the ribbon was cut, and our new Harpenden branch was declared officially open. You might notice a refreshed look to our brand both inside and outside the building. Our new branch aims to deliver confidence to our members. Being a mutual, our focus will always be about putting our members first. The branch is a nod to our heritage within Harpenden, as well as our renewed commitment to the community and our members. The customer experience is always at the front of our minds, and the new branch has been designed with this in mind. The colourful interior, while looking refreshed and playful, creates a welcoming atmosphere for our friendly branch team to help customers in the best way they can. This branch also comes with a technical upgrade, with iPads and digital screens to aid in the member's experience. With these new upgrades, we can assure our members that the clarity and trust they hold with the Society is still there and isn't going away any time soon. Our branch colleagues are as can-do and helpful as ever, but with a larger and more prominent location, we are setting our sights on an improved future. Tracie Meadows, the CEO of Harpenden Building Society said: "We at Harpenden Building Society always put our members first. Our new branch is just that. It's us giving back to our members and the community in Harpenden." She continued that, "We're giving our customers a better experience, while still being the friendly building society that's always ready to lend a hand. We want people to leave the branch feeling confident in us, and in their financial decisions." Our new Harpenden branch represents an exciting next step for the Society, and is just the beginning - there's definitely more to look forward to in the future.
Industry
DEC 01, 2025
FSCS protection limit increase
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has increased the protection limit from £85,000 to £120,000 from 1st December 2025. This means if you hold deposits or savings with a building society, bank, credit union, or other UK-authorised financial firm, and they go out of business, FSCS can provide compensation up to £120,000 per eligible person, per authorised firm. Temporary high balance protection also applies for up to six months, covering up to £1.4 million for large one-off deposits from events like property sales, redundancy payments, or inheritances. We will be communicating this change to our members shortly and will revise our materials to reflect the increase in due course. For further information visit www.fscs.org.uk.
Community
OCT 15, 2025
Jon’s savings blog – The importance of talking about money
Money. It’s not going away, and it’s one of the most essential parts of our lives, and yet, for many, it’s still one of the hardest things to talk about. Whether it’s how much we earn, how much we save, or how we manage debt, money conversations are often avoided due to discomfort, fear of judgment, or simply not knowing where to start.