Huddersfield bank location for debt and borrowing TV documentary

A Natwest branch in Huddersfield is featured in The Bank: A Matter of Life and Debt, a three-part documentary examining the relationship between the bank and its clients.

Produced by the BBC in partnership with The Open University, the series was filmed over a year and follows the bank’s efforts to win back the trust of its customers.

A three-part documentary.

With faith in the banking sector at an all-time low, customers are quick to get angry when things don’t go smoothly.

OU Academic Consultant on the series was Martin Upton, lecturer in finance at The Open University Business School, who is concerned about the issue of personal debt and believes it has been overshadowed in recent months by the debate on pension reform and the new financial freedoms given to those approaching retirement.

He said: “This has drawn attention away from the issue of personal debt in the UK, which stands at a record level of £1.47 trillion. With interest rates and price inflation forecast to rise again in the coming years, many more households will again struggle to manage their debts. Interest rates have been at an historic low level for over six years now but the household debt mountain has not gone away.”

Trust, Love and Money and Lending

In the first episode ‘Trust’, viewers meet deputy bank manager Claire, who has 12 weeks to improve customer service score at her branch. Customer Chris believes he’s been given bad advice on a mortgage and Tracey is thousands of pounds in debt and in danger of losing her home.

Episode two ‘Love and Money’, looks at how both customers and staff must juggle money and their hearts, also revealing how romantic and family relationships can get tangled up with money.

Episode three ‘Lending’, sees Claire focus the team on lending money to customers. Brian and Elizabeth look for a loan to cover a £27,000 debt on seven credit cards, Farid is seeking to buy his council flat, and John wants to borrow half a million pounds for his luxury housing development.

The first episode of The Bank: A Matter of Life and Debt starts on 23 June at 9pm on BBC Two.