Pennine Community Credit Union has rebranded as Northern Community Bank, as a “reflection of who we’ve become and the communities we’re here to serve”.
The lender says it has grown beyond its original Pennine area, taking in thousands of account holders from across Lancashire and Cumbria “from Preston to Penrith, Pendle to Lancaster”.
It has also stepped away from using ‘credit union’ in its name, “to make things as simple and clear as possible”. A message on its website added: “We never want anyone to feel unsure about what we offer or who we’re here for – we’re here for everyone.”
“We are excited to introduce Northern Community Bank,” said CEO Kathryn Fogg. “After we expanded our services across Lancashire and into Cumbria, we understood we needed to be more inclusive to all the communities we serve. We look forward to welcoming more account holders from across the North with the same friendly service we have provided since 1982.”
Northern says it will keep its credit union values, in place since its launch 40 years ago as Nelson Community Credit Union, despite the name change.
“We’ve been on an amazing growth journey to serve 17,000 people across the North,” said president Gerard Spain. “To be trusted to look after £21m in assets on behalf of the community is brilliant. Last year we welcomed 1,800 new account holders, with 97% telling us they were happy with the service the Northern Community Bank chapter of our story will continue to put people at the heart of everything we do and help even more people.”
The credit union says it is working on new ways to help members save, borrow and manage their money. Launching the new brand, chief operating officer Tia Warbrick said: “We will continue to improve the services for the community, whilst aiming to repeat the £1.1m share of profits we returned to account holders in 2025. We have released a competitive 4.5% one-year fixed term account and new interest-bearing savings account to encourage regular saving, concentrated effort into young savers, whilst continuing to improve the ‘Money Matters’ education suite and made it easier to access affordable lending. Our purpose is to make managing money easier for everyone.”
Fogg added: “Our mission has always been to put people first. As Northern Community Bank, we’re doubling down on that promise – making community banking straightforward, fair, and tailored to each individual’s needs. This name change is about breaking down barriers and opening doors for everyone in our community.”
