Financial Inclusion

For more than 20 years, we have researched the nature of financial exclusion and what local authorities, social housing landlords and stakeholders can do to address it. CFS has produced over 50 research reports on financial exclusion in nearly 30 locations across Great Britain, with a predominance in the North of England.

Financial exclusion and poverty in Leeds (Leeds City Council), 2018-19 

For the third time, CFS was commissioned to conduct research into financial exclusion in Leeds by collecting and analysing survey data in deprived areas of the city. We also examined the effectiveness of local financial inclusion interventions in meeting the needs of financially excluded households. The resulting report compares the surveys conducted in 2004, 2010 and 2018. 

Publications

2024

• The Link Between Digital Skills and Financial Inclusion—Evidence from Consumers Survey Data from Low-Income Areas – Article
  • The Link Between Digital Skills and Financial Inclusion—Evidence from Consumers Survey Data from Low-Income Areas | Journal of Consumer Policy (springer.com)

2023

• We need to expand the financial toolkit if we want to improve resilience – Article
  • ‘We need to expand the financial toolkit if we want to improve resilience’ – FTAdviser

2019

• 20 years of Financial Inclusion Research. Full Report
  • Microsoft Word – CFS 20 year research report.docx (salford.ac.uk)

2018

• Financial Exclusion and Poverty: Historic trends in Leeds. Full report
  • Leeds-Financial-Exclusion-and-Poverty-Report-University-of-Salford.pdf

2015

• The 2015 Annual Financial Inclusion Survey of Salford. Full report
  • 2015_AFISS_v4.pdf (salford.ac.uk)

2012

• A Banking Disclosure Act – From theory to practice – Summary report
  • A UK Banking Disclosure Act: From theory to practice (REPORT) (salford.ac.uk)

2011

• The evolution of financial exclusion in Leeds since 2004. Summary report
  • Evolution-of-FE-in-Leeds-final-technical-report-05-11-10-V2.pdf (salford.ac.uk)

2010

• Audit of free to client face to face money advice in Salford. Full report
  • Audit-of-F2F-money-advice-in-Salford-final-technical-report-29.10.10.pdf

2009

• Economic impact and regeneration possibilities of financial inclusion initiatives in city economies: the case of Leeds. Summary report.
  • ec-impact-report-final-web-version.pdf (salford.ac.uk)

• After the financial crisis: The roles of civil society associations in growing a civil economy. Think piece.
  • After-the-Financial-Crisis.pdf (salford.ac.uk)

2008

• Households Not the Banks are the real victims of the Credit Crunch. Article.
  • Households not banks the real victims of the credit crunch | Karl Dayson | The Guardian

2005

• Community Access to Money: Housing associations leading on financial inclusion. Report.
  • UG Prospectus (salford.ac.uk)

2004

• Financial exclusion: it’s impact on individuals, disadvantaged communities and the city economy. Full report
  • Leeds Financial Inclusion Strategy

• Improving Financial Inclusion – The hidden story of how building societies serve the financially excluded. Research paper.
  • BSA report cover l/res