Craig was homeless for over 20 years. Because he had no fixed address, he couldn’t open a bank account. Not having a bank account made it almost impossible for Craig to change his situation, lay down roots, or even stay in touch with his family.
Craig was recently put in touch with our Step Together service in Somerset. We work in partnership with the @hsbc_uk No Fixed Address project to help people experiencing housing difficulties to open bank accounts.
Through our work, HSBC has expanded its service to branches throughout Somerset, including Taunton and Weston-Super-Mare.
Craig was able to open a bank account with a debit card in just one appointment with HSBC. They even gave him a tablet so he could access online banking, Homefinder and other online services.
Since opening his bank account, Craig has been able to manage his own money without worrying about it being stolen. He has moved into supported housing and is starting to reconnect with his family.
Thank you, Craig, for sharing your amazing story with us.
And thank you to Andrew, our Partnership & Learning Manager at Step Together who worked to make all this possible.