We’re delighted to welcome Yvonne Fovargue CBE as Chair of our steering group. To mark her arrival in LabourList, Yvonne reflects on her 14 years as an MP fighting the poverty premium, and why tackling it is essential to rebuilding trust and securing public support for the Government.

1 year ago @mchshe.bsky.social paid off the debts of hundreds of people. So what’s happened since then? fairbankingforall.org #FairBankingForAll

Thank you Martin Rhodes MP for meeting again with Glasgow residents who have lived experienced of exclusion from affordable credit. Great to discuss the #FairBankingAct as well as delivery & timelines for the government's Financial Inclusion Strategy. #FairBankingForAll

Great news for the #CreditUnion sector 🙌🙌🙌 This will mean millions more people can become credit union members and have access to affordable credit - helping families avoid high-cost credit and build financial resilience. A big win for financial inclusion. #FairBankingForAll

Community banks unlock funding for small businesses & provide affordable loans when people need them most. They’re a powerful force in the US but still far too limited here in the UK. That needs to change. @responsiblefinance.bsky.social @thefinancelab.bsky.social @coopparty.party.coop 🧵1/3

More proof that people want government action to tackle the cost of living crisis🫰 With 2/3 supporting action to stop lower-income households paying more for essentials because they have less choice around their spending – the so-called ‘poverty premium’.

"When families with low incomes cannot afford to pay upfront, they are often pushed towards high‑cost credit options." New polling from @fairbydesign.bsky.social in the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social shows the public support action to tackle the poverty premium. www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/ec...

New @runnymedetrust.bsky.social & @neweconomics.bsky.social report links structural exclusion, debt & colonialism, finding racialised households face “systemic gatekeeping, algorithmic bias & discriminatory treatment” when seeking credit, often pushing people to high-cost lenders. #DriversOfDebt

"We're not here as case studies; we're here as people who are contributing to shaping change." New blog from @fairbydesign.bsky.social on their work with @povertyalliance.org creating a Lived Experience Advisory Panel. fairbydesign.com/blog-what-li...

"Why a British Community Reinvestment Act could strengthen financial inclusion and mutual financial services" @coopparty.party.coop @daniellmonaghan.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll #FairBankingAct party.coop/2026/01/08/w...

Some words from our Head of Policy, @mariacbooker.bsky.social, looking back at our Give Me Some Credit exhibition. The article is a deep dive on the process we followed and looks at the value of involving people with lived experience in our work. www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/g...

Brilliant support for the Fair Banking Act from @gareththomasmp.bsky.social, proud to be part of the campaign 👊

Yesterday, Labour and Co-operative MP for Harrow West Gareth Thomas introduced the Fair Banking Bill. It's based on legislation that's worked in the USA, and would transform access to finance for low income individuals and small and medium sized businesses.

"A Fair Banking Act is a common sense, proportionate measure which could have transformative benefits for businesses and communities across the UK, and I commend this Bill to the House." 👏 @gareththomasmp.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll #FairBankingAct

🚨 @gareththomasmp.bsky.social's Fair Banking Bill has just been introduced in the House of Commons. Access to finance is about more than just fairness - small businesses are being held back by legislation that doesn't work for them.

Labour and Co-operative MP Gareth Thomas is in LabourList today, making the case for a Fair Banking Act to support our neighbours, friends and family members who are being locked out of access to banking.

We're backing Gareth Thomas' Fair Banking Act to help transform communities using credit unions and community finance. It's time the banks helped out the communities they're supposed to serve.

And it passed! A huge thank you to @gareththomasmp.bsky.social for taking forward the Financial Exclusion & Access to Finance Bill, based on the #FairBankingAct. @thefinancelab.bsky.social @buildingsocieties.bsky.social @fsb-uk.bsky.social @coopparty.party.coop #FairBankingForAll

Affordable credit is critical for households and businesses. A #FairBankingAct would make banks accountable for expanding fair, affordable lending where it’s needed most. @fbfacampaign.bsky.social @gareththomasmp.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll

1/ 🧵High-cost credit is holding people & #SMEs back. @gareththomasmp.bsky.social calls for government action to expand #AffordableCredit - tackling the cost of living crisis & supporting economic growth through a #FairBankingAct. @politicshome.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/3Nk0v9G

Tomorrow, @gareththomasmp.bsky.social brings a Bill to parliament to tackle exclusion from #AffordableCredit through a #FairBankingAct. Read his article for @labourlist.bsky.social below 👇 @coopparty.party.coop @fsb-uk.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/4sxWXk1

MP tables bill to require big banks to work with credit unions and CDFIs. @gareththomasmp.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll #FairBankingAct #CreditUnions #CDFIs www.thenews.coop/mp-tables-bi...

Forcing UK banks to support credit unions would help keep loan sharks at bay

📢 On Wednesday @gareththomasmp.bsky.social will table the Financial Exclusion & Access to Finance Bill, taking action on access to #AffordableCredit through #FairBankingAct proposals. Read about it in @guardianheather.bsky.social's article. #FairBankingForAll www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Minoritised communities are systematically disadvantaged by our financial system — through biased lending, unfair debt practices and unequal access to support. The Equity in Finance campaign is playing a critical role in changing this. #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/4q7laME

Huge thanks to @guardianheather.bsky.social for highlighting the call for a #FairBankingAct to bring banks together with #creditunions and #CDFIs to ensure people can access #affordablecredit when they need it. bit.ly/44dqFAv @coopparty.party.coop

The government has published their Financial Inclusion Strategy. What comes next? #FinancialInclusion #AffordableCredit #FairBankingAct #CommunityFinance #FairBankingForAll @thefinancelab.bsky.social @fairbydesign.bsky.social financeinnovationlab.org/the-governme...

Great to join the conversation in Glasgow! Listening to residents share the challenges they face in accessing affordable credit reinforces why initiatives like the #FairBankingAct matter. Huge thanks to everyone involved for exploring practical steps to boost financial inclusion. #FairBankingForAll

Thank you to Martin Rhodes MP, @pjferguson.bsky.social, @maureenburke.bsky.social & John Grady MP for meeting Glasgow residents to hear their experiences of being shut out of affordable credit, & how a #FairBankingAct could change this. #FairBankingForAll financeinnovationlab.org/youre-left-w...

Financial Inclusion, But Who Is Included? A Response to the 2025 Strategy 🙌👇 #FinancialInclusion #AffordableCredit #CommunityFinance #RaceEquity #FairBankingForAll @neweconomics.bsky.social @runnymedetrust.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/pulse/financ...

I was at the @coopparty.party.coop conference flying the flag for the @fbfacampaign.bsky.social campaign. The UK is a co-op outlier - with around 2% of people members of credit unions vs 80% in Ireland & 40% in the US. The Act could change that. Here's more: www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-gri...

This new Government strategy on financial inclusion is welcome, but it doesn’t go far enough – more change and progress is desperately needed, like a #FairBankingAct Find out more here: justmoney.org.uk/blog/lets-ma...

Response from @thefinancelab.bsky.social to the government's new Financial Inclusion Strategy 👇 #FairBankingForAll financeinnovationlab.org/financial-in...

"A commitment to a Fair Banking Act...would have shown that the government is serious about driving change at scale, rather than just hoping that banks will step up”. Read our response to the government's Financial Inclusion Strategy. #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/47FSceO

Today marks the launch of the Financial Inclusion Strategy. The Strategy must be seen as an important first step that sets the direction of travel to ending the poverty premium and financial exclusion. Read our full statement here: fairbydesign.com/response-uk-...

📢 The government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy is out. Some practical steps on #AffordableCredit are welcome, but it still falls short of the scale of change needed. A #FairBankingAct would provide the clear, measurable framework this issue deserves. #FairBankingForAll

In December 2024, the Government committed to a Financial Inclusion Strategy. Since then, officials, regulators, and consumer groups have worked in subcommittees developing the Strategy. With the Strategy’s launch imminent the question remains: will it be bold enough?

Last week we met @mchshe.bsky.social @skinnock.bsky.social & Kate Pender to talk about why #AffordableCredit matters in strengthening communities & driving economic growth - & the need to scale #CreditUnions & #CDFIs which provide vital lifelines for communities & businesses. #FairBankingForAll

"What Do We Have In Common With Michael Sheen? Supporting A Fair Banking Act!" Great to have the support of Manchester Credit Union! 👏 #FairBankingForAll #FairBankingAct manchestercreditunion.co.uk/financial-ed...

Tweaks to a broken system won’t fix the UK’s credit crisis. Voluntary market fixes have failed to deliver fair, affordable credit for millions. It's time for bold, systemic change. Read our latest blog: filab.uk/4llAZg8 @fbfacampaign.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll

The poverty premium costs each parliamentary constituency £4.5million per year. @fairbydesign.bsky.social recommends a #FairBankingAct as a way to increase access to affordable credit and reduce the #povertypremium in this new briefing. #FairBankingForAll fairbydesign.com/wp-content/u...

Yesterday in Westminster @katrinamurraymp.bsky.social & other MPs highlighted the vital role of #CreditUnions. Thank you to @clivejonesmp.bsky.social for asking @torstenbell.bsky.social if government will back a #FairBankingAct to help credit unions grow. #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/40q5yZP

The sudden closure of the Financial Fairness Trust by Aberdeen shows that we cannot rely on voluntary approaches by profit-driven financial institutions to fix market failures, & that we urgently need solutions like a #FairBankingAct. filab.uk/4llAZg8 @fbfacampaign.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll

People on low incomes often pay more to borrow. Without affordable credit, many turn to high-cost lenders and spiral into problem debt. @fairbydesign.bsky.social's new report backs a #FairBankingAct to expand access to affordable credit. @fbfacampaign.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll bit.ly/4lpExxQ

"Fair access to affordable credit is not a niche social project — it’s an economic imperative." New @thefinancelab.bsky.social blog on why we can't rely on voluntary approaches to improve things for people & businesses across the UK. #FairBankingForAll

"Voluntary fixes won't solve the credit crisis.. A #FairBankingAct would be a powerful statement that access to affordable, ethical credit for consumers & businesses is not optional." New blog from @thefinancelab.bsky.social 👇 #FairBankingForAll financeinnovationlab.org/why-voluntar...

“That creates a poverty premium where people are having to pay higher prices, sometimes for basic goods” Really good to see Meg Hillier mention the poverty premium as part of the TSC's scrutiny of the Government’s financial inclusion strategy. www.heraldscotland.com/news/2529128...

In a new report, @stepchange.bsky.social finds that 4 in 10 UK adults would not be able to meet all of an unexpected £1,000 expense without borrowing. We need access to affordable credit. We need a #FairBankingAct now. @fbfacampaign.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll

📢 @stepchange.bsky.social finds that 4 in 10 UK adults would not be able to meet all of an unexpected £1,000 expense without borrowing, and points to a #FairBankingAct as a way to increase access to affordable credit. #FairBankingForAll www.stepchange.org/policy-and-r...

Thank you @runnymedetrust.bsky.social & @neweconomics.bsky.social for hosting the incredible Power to Prosper Summer Action Meet Up! A day of powerful stories, plans for the future, and a lot of joy. @fair4allfinance.bsky.social @thefinancelab.bsky.social