The Saving Gateway

The Assets Agenda

Asset-based policies are becoming an increasingly important form of social policy globally. In this book, the first of its kind, Rajiv Prabhakar provides a theoretical perspective on the emerging asset agenda as well as examining specific policies, including the British Child Trust Fund.

The Saving Gateway

Financial inclusion follow-up

This report follows up on a previous report (HC 848-I, session 2005-06, ISBN 9780215031396), and a related publication on banking services (HC 1717, session 2005-06, ISBN 9780215031426). The Committee commends the Government's response to these earlier reports, but sets out some 33 conclusions and recommendations, including: the development of a wider range of savings options for lower income households; more protection for consumers from the risks relating to prepayment systems, such as Christmas savings schemes; the launch of a targeted national Saving Gateway scheme with the Government matching savings by low-income individuals with its own contributions; a renewed commitment from the Government to the reform and future funding of the Social Fund; the Committee commends the Government's consultation process on changes to legislation within which credit unions operate, and the possible renaming of credit unions to "community banks", the Committee further recommends that such bodies should be able to pay interest on savings.