Working in Mortgages EDI Group: Spotlight on the Bank Workers Charity – Lapsley-Harrison

Founded in 1883 as the Bank Clerk’s Orphanage, it was created by bankers to provide for the children of clerks who had died or fallen on hard times. By the 1960s, it was caring for more than a thousand children and supported by contributions from over 66,000 bank workers. Over the years, the charity evolved, merging with the Bankers Beneficent Society in the 1980s and later rebranding as the BWC in 2011 to reflect its broader role.

Today, BWC can be a lifeline for current and former bank employees and their families, offering free, confidential support that is entirely independent of the banks themselves. Its reach is nationwide, and its mission is simple: to help people in the industry live healthier, more secure lives.

What the charity does

The support provided by BWC is wide-ranging. It covers:

• Mental and physical health: Counselling, wellness coaching, and resources for managing stress, anxiety and burnout.
• Family and relationships: Therapy, parenting resources, bereavement support, and guidance for carers.
• Financial assistance: Advice on budgeting and debt management, along with grants for those in crisis.
• Work/life balance: Career transition coaching, retirement planning and workplace wellbeing initiatives.
• Child and education support: Practical help with educational costs, and support for children affected by illness or bereavement.

The charity also partners with banks to deliver wellbeing campaigns, live webinars and awareness sessions on subjects such as financial resilience, the importance of sleep, and managing caring responsibilities. It covers topics as diverse as men’s health, imposter syndrome and menopause. BWC works behind the scenes too, helping organisations co-create wellbeing strategies and manage dedicated support funds for staff communities.

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Last year alone, BWC spent £5.75m on charitable activities, supported thousands of individuals, and provided hundreds of mental health interventions across the UK.

Real people, real impact

The statistics are impressive, but the difference BWC makes is best understood through the stories of those it has helped.

Zara’s story
Zara, a bank employee, found herself struggling when her partner left shortly before their son was born. She fell into arrears with her council tax and was unable to register for a council property until the debt was cleared. The stress became overwhelming and she was signed off work.

With encouragement from her HR team, Zara contacted the BWC. A grant helped her settle her arrears, and she also received mental health and wellbeing support. Today, Zara is in a far stronger position, focusing on building a stable home life for her and her son.

Michael’s story
Michael, also a bank worker, was living with bipolar disorder and recovering from alcohol addiction when his marriage broke down. He fell behind on bills, risked losing his home and was unable to see his children. Eventually, he was hospitalised.

Reaching out to BWC proved to be a turning point. The charity gave him practical advice on prioritising debts, financial help to clear urgent arrears, and emotional support. Now, Michael is sober, back in work, and rebuilding his relationship with his family.

A charity for all bank workers

Stories like Zara’s and Michael’s underline the role BWC plays: offering both practical help and the reassurance that no one in the banking community needs to face hardship alone. Importantly, the charity’s services are open to all current and former bank employees and their families. Everything is confidential and independent of the banks themselves.

The pressures facing bank workers are not unique: debt, illness, caring responsibilities and mental health struggles affect people across society. But by focusing on the banking community, BWC ensures support is accessible, relevant and timely. In doing so, it quietly upholds the wellbeing of those who keep the financial system running.

Finding out more

From small, everyday challenges to life-changing crises, the BWC exists to make things easier. For over 140 years, it has been a trusted partner to the people of banking, and it continues to evolve as the world of work changes.

For more information about the support available, including webinars, awareness sessions and confidential one-to-one help, visit www.bwcharity.org.uk.

WIM’s EDI Group was formerly known as the IMLA EDI Group. WIM is a joint initiative run by the Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) and the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI). All industry colleagues, lenders and advisers are welcome to attend the monthly online WIM EDI Lunch and Learn sessions. Visit the WIM website for details on how to attend.