Accessibility

Our commitment

Accessibility can mean different things to different people and we’re always working to make improvements to create a Society where no one is left out.

Our services

We want to make it easy for everyone to use our products and services and here we outline the accessibility services we provide.

AccessAble

AccessAble is an organisation that provides detailed Accessibility Guides for thousands of venues across the UK, and they've helped us identify areas for improvement across the Society.

We’re proud to be the first building society to provide accessibility information on all of our branches through AccessAble.

• Working with AccessAble
• Visit AccessAble.co.uk.

SignVideo

SignVideo helps you contact us safely and securely if you use British Sign Language through an online video service. It is fast and simple and enables people with hearing impairments to sign to an interpreter and the interpreter speaks to our adviser.

Relay UK

Customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment can call us using BT’s text relay service.

This service uses a text relay assistant, acting as an intermediary, who relays to us what you have typed and then types our response back to you.

If you would like to contact us using Relay UK, simply dial 18001 from your text phone followed by any of our standard telephone numbers. Or alternatively, visit Relay UK to use their free app.

• BT Relay UK website
.

Communication Access UK

Communication Access UK is a partnership between national charities and organisations that share a vision to improve the lives of people living with communication disabilities. Here at Skipton Building Society, we are currently taking part in the “early adopter” phase of the Communication Access UK initiative.

Communication Access UK have worked with people with communication difficulties and disabilities in order to design and create a new symbol along with standards and training. The symbol can be displayed by businesses and organisations, like us, whose colleagues have undergone the specific training to help them better support the needs of the people with communication difficulties. The training helps colleagues identify if someone needs support and encourages them to ask how we can help.

Colleagues in two of our branches, Leeds and Keighley, have undergone specific training to help them better support the needs of people with communication difficulties. Due to COVID-19 we have had to postpone rolling this out but we hope to roll this out across all our colleagues in the future.

Video appointment service - Skipton Link

We've made it easier for you to talk to us about your money by making our appointments more accessible with our video appointment service, Skipton Link. You can access mortgage advice, financial advice or a review with a savings consultant, from the comfort of home.

Website

We are actively working towards our website meeting the AA level of the WCAG 2.0. These internationally recognised guidelines are the benchmark for building accessible websites, detailing how websites should be built to make them accessible for people with disabilities.

Visual impairment

• Assistance dogs are welcome in all our branches
• Signature guides and magnifying glasses are available on request
• Documents can be provided in braille, large print or audio

Our colleagues are always happy to help, so please ask if you need anything.

Hearing impairment

• All our branches have induction loops
• Web chat is available so you can talk to us online.

Cognitive impairment

• We have lots of Dementia Friends across our branch network.
• Background noises can be challenging for some people, so you can choose a silent option when you're on hold on a telephone call with us.

Motor impairment

Detailed Accessibility Guides are available for all our branches from the following places:

• Via our Branch Finder
• AccessAble website
• AccessAble app.
• If you have difficulty or cannot sign your name, please talk to us and we’ll work with you to find a solution suited to your personal needs.

Access to your money

If you have money in a fixed rate or limited access account (such as a notice account), the terms and conditions of your account contain restrictions on withdrawals. However, we understand that circumstances change. If you need access due to a change in circumstances for you or a member of your immediate family since you opened the account, please get in touch with us. Under certain circumstances, we can review whether the restrictions should apply. You can also find more detail about this in your account terms and conditions.

Please note that if your account is a Lifetime ISA, any withdrawals within the first 12 months of your first payment into the account will incur a 25% government withdrawal charge (temporarily reduced to 20% for withdrawals between 6 March 2020 and 5 April 2021). After the first 12 months, you can withdraw money to buy your first home. For any other withdrawals before the age of 60, the government withdrawal charge will apply (unless you are diagnosed with a terminal illness).