1. sodexo.com HMP Forest Bank Category B Male only from 18 1400 residents Remand and Sentenced Partnership agreement with the Co-operative Bank signed March 2006 BANKING ON A FRESH START LAUNCHED May 2006

2. page 2 Bank Accounts Prior To Release  90% have no relevant ID.  75% poorly educated. Difficulty accessing services.  9 % can’t read or write.  70% fear forms and bureaucracy.  Some loose their bank account on entering the prison.  Any effective resettlement hampered by lack of a bank account: i. Excluded from Training Grants ii. Excluded from Further and higher education grants iii. Housing made difficult iv. Employment made difficult

3. page 3 Northern Rock Arrangement  Application form  Copy of prison ID + covering letter  £1 cheque  Problems  Deposit was problematic  Prisoners had to attend branch on release to register  No continuity – when personnel changed had to start from scratch

4. page 4 INITIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CFS  Regular telephone calls  Meeting with Community Projects Manager  Various departmental meetings at CFS head office  Scheme tailored to prison needs - Zero balance/opened prior to release/no input from prisoner required  Scheme integrated into bank main computer – gives continuity (05/06)  Pilot scheme started May 2006

5. page 5 Why Did CFS Proceed To A Pilot  History of Community links eg Big Issue Project prior to 2005  Positively motivated to help financially excluded minorities (cashminder offered to asylum seekers)  Currently involved in arts partnership with North West prisons  Investigating new ways of reaching potential customers  Genuine interest in rehabilitation of offenders and research of potential impact

6. Quote “Crime reduction and the prevention of re-offending is one of the 3 key themes of the CFS Community Strategy – the provision of bank accounts which will improve access to employment and housing is, therefore, a key element of this strategy”  Source: Community Partnership Agreement between CFS and HMP Forest Bank (March 06) page 6

7. page 7 Motivating Participants  Given info on arrival during induction.  Run regular budgeting courses which contain a banking unit.  Pre-release induction give info again.  Chapel runs prisoner/partner finance course.  Staff fully informed during training.  Dedicated banking lead.  Probation/OMU/Programmes staff fully informed.  Prisoner word of mouth.  Peer pressure.

8. page 8 Impact on capacity For Independence  Makes life easier in general – i. Receive benefits ii. Receive grants iii. Pay rent by D/D iv. Pay wages in  Helps in managing money – no need to carry cash  Increases confidence  Psychological impact – feel part of mainsteam society.

9. page 9 SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT Measures of success 06 – 10 (August) Applications 1313 Accounts Opened 1210 Refused 70 1000 th account reached April 2010 29 prisons included in scheme