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Great Western Credit Union: Savings reviews

Name: Savings
Rating: 4.83 (222 reviews)

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4.75

Based on 222 reviews, last reviewed 18th May 2025

950% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

89%

2 star

Latest highest rating:

5

t's the people that make a difference at GWCU. t's the people that make a difference at GWCU. Compared to my high street bank (which shall remain nameless, but think black horses), the service is c... Read more Reviewed on: 18th May 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

They have turned into a payday lender to vulnerable... They have turned into a payday lender to vulnerable people and partners like Bristol city council should not be encouraging their staff to use them th... Read more Reviewed on: 21st September 2024

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About this product

Great Western Credit Union offer savings accounts to customers who live, work or study in Bristol and Bath, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset or Dorset.

Great Western Credit Union savings accounts include the Fixed Rate Saver, Cash ISA, Easy Saver, Business Saver and the Christmas Saver.

Great Western Credit Union reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used Great Western Credit Union before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

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Great Western Credit Union Savings reviews (222)

Competitive interest rates, great service

I receive a very competitive rate of interest on my savings, fantastic service, and the knowledge that my savings are used to help others in my community Reviewed on: 17th April 2025

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi SD, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear that you're enjoying a competitive rate on your savings and receiving fantastic service, that’s exactly the experience we aim to provide at GWCU. It’s wonderful to know that the community impact of your savings resonates with you too. Thank you for being a valued member and for your continued support! Best wishes, Emily Response date: 23rd April 2025

I like the idea and wider vision of the credit union.

I like the idea and wider vision of the credit union. Although the returns are not very competitive I'm happy to save as I know it helps people borrow at low cost Reviewed on: 2nd April 2025

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Brendan, Thank you so much for your review! We're really glad to hear that our mission and values resonate with you! While our regular savings rates may not always be the most competitive, we do occasionally offer products like our Fixed Rate Saver, which recently featured a rate of 4.75% AER. If that’s of interest we recommend keeping an eye on our website to see when it might be offered again! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such great feedback and we appreciate your support. Best wishes, Emily Response date: 23rd April 2025

Saved through my salary and earning a great rate!

Saved through my salary and earning a great rate! Such a simple application process and love knowing I have savings building up in an account that is separate from my everyday bank. Even better that they are supporting the credit union mission! Reviewed on: 25th March 2025

My account with Bristol Credit Union was amalgamated...

My account with Bristol Credit Union was amalgamated into GWCU. I was excited that a large regional Credit Union was being established. My experience with BCU was exemplary! They really saved my bacon in so many ways over about 5yrs. Sadly, when GWCU took over, they closed down ALL of the in person counter services which were such a lifeline for so many people in need. Ridiculous. Tragic! It was almost impossible to speak to anyone even on the phone. I still keep a small amount in my account as emergency money, and to support the organisation. I had a BCU loan years ago that really changed my life, in theory GWCU still offer this important service. I hope they have sorted out their customer service, I haven't tried to engage with them in a couple of years. Reviewed on: 2nd March 2025

I joined Great Western Credit Union a few years ago.

I joined Great Western Credit Union a few years ago. They are freindly, polite and helpful. Could not wish for anything better. I have a loan every christmas over 12 months and its helps me so much. I pay for xmas monthly really. Reviewed on: 5th December 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Donna, Thank you for your wonderful 5-star review! We're so glad to hear that you’ve had a positive experience with us over the years. It’s great to know that we’ve been able to make your Christmas planning easier. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to continuing to support you in the future! Best wishes, Monica Response date: 10th January 2025

Prompt customer service

I always get a prompt response to queries and appreciate the new savings products available Reviewed on: 29th November 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Beechlands, Thank you for the 5-star review! We’re thrilled to hear that you’ve had a positive experience with our Member Services Team and that you value our new savings products. We truly appreciate your support. Best wishes, Monica Response date: 10th January 2025

They have turned into a payday lender to vulnerable...

They have turned into a payday lender to vulnerable people and partners like Bristol city council should not be encouraging their staff to use them they use c and c collections who add on 300 pounds worst than any payday loans which are not around anymore keep clear. Reviewed on: 21st September 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Liz, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We take all comments seriously and are committed to addressing any concerns. We understand that personal circumstances can change, and our standard in-house practice is to engage with members to try to come to an arrangement. Unfortunately, this can lead to a loan being defaulted and further action taken to recover the money owed to GWCU. Recently, we have handed over a large portion of historic, defaulted debts to C&L Collections, who add a charge based on the size of the debt. As a not-for-profit financial institution, any loss is felt very keenly, and we must do what we can to mitigate those losses so we can continue to provide fairly priced loans to our members. We understand your frustration regarding the use of collection services and the associated fees. We are continuously working to improve our services and ensure they meet the needs of all our members, including the most vulnerable. Best regards, Monica Response date: 26th September 2024

I have saving with gwcu for a long time .

I have saving with gwcu for a long time .I love saving with this company,I have to wait a few hours until I get my money which really makes me think if I really need it or not .so I seem to save better . There's great communication between me and gwcu .I have phoned in the past with queries and things were sorted out with no problem. Overall I'm very happy with the service. Reviewed on: 4th September 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Deb, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear that you’ve had such a positive experience saving with us, and that it's helped you think carefully about your savings goals. It's great to know that our communication and support have made a difference whenever you've needed assistance. We truly appreciate your loyalty and are thrilled to hear you're happy with our service. We look forward to continuing to support you in your savings journey! Warm regards, Emily Response date: 23rd September 2024

I live in Somerset, but 'the computer says NO!'

I cannot complete the joining process as it rejected my postcode as being a valid one in Somerset, I tried my work postcode which is in central Taunton (the County Town) and got the same rejection..... Reviewed on: 21st July 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi John, Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry to hear that you had trouble completing the joining process. Somerset is one of the counties where our coverage is more limited as we do not cover Somerset in it's entirety and we apologise if this wasn’t clear on our website. We understand how frustrating this can be, and we have passed your feedback along to the relevant team to help improve our communication around our catchment areas. If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for considering Great Western Credit Union. Kind regards, Emily Response date: 9th August 2024

Great personal service, infrastructure needed

Great personal service, however their infrastructure for groups and organisations needs improving. Reviewed on: 15th July 2024

Reply from Great Western Credit Union Hi Daniel, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us, we are delighted you think our personal service is great. We truly appreciate your feedback, as it helps us improve our services. If you have any further insights or questions, feel free to reach out to us on 0117 924 7309 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, excluding bank holidays). Alternatively, you can drop us an email at [email protected], we’ll be more than happy to discuss this in more detail. Best regards, Monica Response date: 14th August 2024

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