BARRHEAD Housing Association and East Renfrewshire Council have joined forces with Pioneer Credit Union to offer a free money management account to tenants.

Any tenant of East Renfrewshire Council or Barrhead Housing Association who is in receipt of Universal Credit will get their membership fees covered by their respective landlord.

This includes costs to open the account and become a member of the credit union. There will also be no ongoing fees.

Tenants will benefit from getting their housing costs paid directly to their landlord.

Beth Welsh, business development manager at Pioneer Credit Union, said: “The money management account is about supporting all residents on Universal Credit – and not just those without bank accounts – by giving claimants peace of mind that their rent is paid, while also providing a budgeting tool for their other expenses.”

Councillor Danny Devlin, convener for housing and maintenance at East Renfrewshire Council, added: “Universal Credit marks a significant change to the benefits process and, for those affected, it will undoubtedly cause some concern, so we are committed to supporting our residents in whatever way we can.”