Joining a credit union
Joining a credit union is easy once you are within the common bond of the credit union.
What is the common bond?
The common bond is the factor which unites all the members of your credit union — it is what all members have in common. Because of the common bond, all members have the good of their credit union at heart; they know and trust each other. The common bond ensures that the savings of members are available to fellow members as loans. It also enables credit judgements to be made on character and personal record as well as on commercial risk factor.
The most usual common bonds are:
- Community bond (where all the members live, and in some cases work, in a particular locality).
- Occupational bond (where all members are in the same profession or occupation, or work for the same employer).
- Associational bond (where all the members are in the same society or association).
To find your local credit union, visit the CU Locator.
What do I need to join?
When applying for membership you will be asked for proof of ID and proof of address, for example a current passport and recent utility bill. Depending on the rules of your credit union, to be a member there will be an entrance fee of not more than €1/£1stg and you will need to hold a minimum savings of between one and ten shares.
