Yorkshire Building Society’s Quiet Hour – Making branches accessible for people with additional needs

The Yorkshire Building Society’s ‘Quiet Hour’ is available in most of our branches and agencies every Wednesday towards the end of the day. It’s aimed at those who have sensory sensitivities or impairments, dementia, learning disabilities, ADHD and autism, or mental health conditions like anxiety.

Introduced to better support customers who would otherwise find it difficult to visit the Society and receive face-to-face guidance, our branches operate with reduced lighting, limited background noise and the removal of digital screens. Additional private office space and longer appointment times can also be offered to those who would find it beneficial.

We’re the first financial services provider to offer quiet hours on such an inclusive scale, and the reaction to it has been overwhelmingly positive from customers and charity support.

We were thrilled to win an award for our quiet hour initiative which is making a real difference to customers who would otherwise find it difficult to visit the Society to discuss or manage their finances. The award is testament to the commitment of our branch colleagues who understand their customers and can offer this service to benefit those who need it. For more information visit our media centre, and search for Quiet Hour.