How to apply if you are under 18 years old

Young person (16-17 years old)

An account can be opened by a young person aged 16 or 17 with a cheque or bank transfer from an account in their name.  You must complete an application form and send it to us. See the section on 'How to apply' below.

Alternatively, a parent/guardian can open an account on the behalf (and in the name) of a young person (16-17 years old) with either:

    • a cheque (drawn on their own personal current account);
    • a bank or building society cheque (supported by an investment account statement); or
    • a bank transfer.

A covering letter that confirms the relation to the young person and declares that the money will indeed be used by the young person must also be provided during the application.  We will need to verify the identity and address of the young person. For details of how this is done, please read the Savings account identification requirements leaflet.

Child (under 16 years old)

An account can be opened by a parent/guardian or relative as a trustee for a child under the age of 16 if the parent/guardian or relative makes an initial deposit from an account held in their name.

Applicants (the parents/guardians or relatives) must have their identity verified in accordance with the information provided in the Savings account identification requirements leaflet. Birth/Adoption certificate (original only), NHS Medical Card or National Insurance notification letter must also be provided during application.

How to apply for a Regular Savings account

Step 1.
Please read all the documents on the right before applying

Step 2.
Tick the box to download the Regular Savings application form

Step 3.
Post your Regular Savings application form to us - please note, scanned copies are not accepted

Please note our identification requirements
list in case we request more information 

Please read these documents and tick the box below to download the application form.

Regular Savings application

How to apply if you are under 18 years old

Young person (16-17 years old)

An account can be opened by a young person aged 16-17 years with a cheque or bank transfer from an account in their name.  You must complete an application form and send it to us.  See the section on 'How to apply' below.

Alternatively, a parent/guardian or relative can open an account on the behalf (and in the name) of a young person (16-17 years old) with either:

    • a cheque (drawn on their own personal current account);
    • a bank or building society cheque (supported by an investment account statement); or
    • a bank transfer.

A covering letter that confirms the relation to the young person and declares that the money will indeed be used by the young person must also be provided during the application. We will need to verify the identity and address of the young person. For details of how this is done, please read the Savings account identification leaflet.

 

How to apply for an Ecology Cash ISA account

Step 1.
Please read all the documents on the right before applying

Step 2.
Tick the box to download the Ecology Cash ISA application form

Step 3.
Post your Ecology Cash ISA application form to us - please note, scanned copies are not accepted

Please note our identification requirements
list in case we request more information 

Please read these documents and tick the box below to download the application form

Ecology Cash ISA application

How to apply if you are under 18 years old

Young person (16-17 years old)

An account can be opened by a young person aged 16-17 years with a cheque or bank transfer from an account in their name.  You must complete an application form and send it to us.  See the section on 'How to apply' below.

Alternatively, a parent/guardian or relative can open an account on the behalf (and in the name of a young person (16-17 years old) with either:

    • a cheque (drawn on their own personal current account);
    • a bank or building society cheque (supported by an investment account statement); or
    • a bank transfer.

A covering letter that confirms the relation to the young person and declares that the money will indeed be used by the young person must also be provided during the application. We will need to verify the identity and address of the young person. For details of how this is done, please read the Savings account identification leaflet.

 

Child (under 16 years old)

An account can be opened by a parent/guardian or relative as a trustee for a child under the age of 16 years if the parent/guardian or relative makes an initial deposit from an account held in their name.

Applicants (the parents/guardians or relatives) must have their identity verified in accordance with the information provided in the Savings account identification requirements leaflet. Birth/Adoption certificate (original only), NHS Medical Card or National Insurance notification letter must also be provided during application.

 

How to apply for an Easy Access account

Step 1.
Please read all the documents on the right before applying

Step 2.
Tick the box to download the Easy Access application form

Step 3.
Post your Easy Access application form to us - please note, scanned copies are not accepted

Please note our identification requirements
list in case we request more information 

Please read these documents and tick the box below to download the application form

Easy Access application

How to vote

It’s very important to us that as many members as possible take up their opportunity to vote – it’s what makes us a democratic Society. You can vote in the way that suits you - online, by post, or at our AGM.

All eligible members will have received an AGM voting pack via post or email.  The pack also contains our Annual Review and Notice of AGM which includes information relating to AGM resolutions.

This year’s voting will be administered by Civica Election Services (CES), the UK’s leading provider of independent election services.

Voting online is straightforward and could save you time. Simply visit cesvotes.com/ecology22 to vote online; or scan the QR code on your paper proxy voting form. Alternatively, you can complete the voting form in your AGM voting pack and post it back to us, free of charge.

We’ll donate 50p to environmental charity Trees for Cities for every member who votes online (20p for those voting by post). We’ll also donate £1 to if you choose to go paperless and receive future voting packs by email, which helps reduce our paper use.

Please ensure we receive your vote by 5.00 pm on  Wednesday 27 April 2022.

Election statements

Andrew John Gold

Andrew is a qualified chartered accountant who also holds a treasury qualification and an in-depth knowledge of financial risk management and governance. He has spent most of his career working in retail financial services, primarily building societies. In May 2014 Andrew was appointed as a Non- Executive Director (NED) and Chief Risk Officer for the Society.

Since first joining Ecology, Andrew has been committed to our ecological mission and uses his experience to ensure the Society maintains a focus on good outcomes for all its members whilst continuing to be a thriving, sustainable organisation striving to achieve its core values and ethos at all times.

In addition, Andrew is the NED Chair of the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, supports charitable initiatives as a Rotarian and is an active member of the Ramblers Association, campaigning for the countryside with a passion for walking.

 

Steven John Round

Steve believes passionately in creating a fairer society through values-based banking. Having worked with major financial institutions and start-ups in the UK and internationally, Steve launched the UK’s first cloud-based platform enabling homeless people to access banking services. He also founded SaaScada, providing credit unions and new banks with leading customer-facing banking services.

Previously Chair of The Big Issue Foundation and director at Unity Trust Bank, he is a director of Centenary Bank, which focuses on environmental lending and provision of banking services for financially excluded people. Steve’s wealth of knowledge, skills and enthusiasm reinforces our position as the leading financial services organisation in the climate change challenge.

He is due to retire by rotation at the AGM after serving nine years on the Board, six of which have been as the Chair. Steve is standing for re-election for a final term of one year.

Vincent Damian Smith

Vince was co-opted onto Ecology’s Board in 2017 and elected as a Non‑Executive Director at the AGM in April 2018. His experience includes 29 years in corporate treasury roles with FTSE 100 and 250 companies and 21 years as a trustee of an environmental charity, including eight years as its Chair.

He serves on the Risk, Audit, Compliance and Ethics (RACE) and Board Lending (BLC) committees. During 2020 he became Chair of the Development Strategy Planning committee, providing oversight to the development of the Society’s 2030 strategy.

Vince is keen for the Society to grow while honing its environmental and social ethos, and to see its mortgage products delivering quality energy-efficient homes to more socially disadvantaged groups and younger people.

How to apply if you are under 18 years old

Young person (16-17 years old)

An account can be opened by a young person aged 16-17 years with a cheque or bank transfer from an account in their name.  You must complete an application form and send it to us.  See the section on 'How to apply' below.

Alternatively, a parent/guardian or relative can open an account on the behalf (and in the name) of a young person (16-17 years old) with either:

    • a cheque (drawn on their own personal current account);
    • a bank or building society cheque (supported by an investment account statement); or
    • a bank transfer.

A covering letter that confirms the relation to the young person and declares that the money will indeed be used by the young person must also be provided during the application. We will need to verify the identity and address of the young person. For details of how this is done, please read the Savings account identification leaflet.

 

How to apply for an Ecology Cash ISA account

Step 1.
Please read all the documents on the right before applying

Step 2.
Tick the box to download the Ecology Cash ISA application and Direct Debit forms

Step 3.
Post your Ecology Cash ISA application and Direct Debit forms to us - please note, scanned copies are not accepted

Please note our identification requirements
list in case we request more information 

Please read these documents and tick the box below to download the application form

Ecology Cash ISA Summary Box

The information provided in this Summary Box is a summary of the key features of the Ecology Cash ISA and is not intended to be a substitute for reading the terms and conditions that apply to the account.

Account name: Ecology Cash ISA

What is the interest rate?

The Ecology Cash ISA will offer a variable rate of interest of 0.30% gross* p.a/AER**.

Interest is calculated on a daily basis and credited to your account on 5 April each year.

* All lSA interest is paid tax-free, which means it’s exempt from income tax and no tax is deducted. Tax rules may change in future.

** AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate and provides a means of comparing interest rates by showing what the rate would be if interest was paid and added once a year.

Can Ecology Building Society change the interest rate?

We may change interest rates at any time if we reasonably believe that the change is needed for any of the following reasons (which may relate to circumstances existing at the time or those that are expected to apply in the near future):
• to respond to changes in the Bank of England Base Rate
• to respond to changes in mortgage or interest rates generally (including the interest rates paid on similar accounts by other providers of financial services)
• to enable us to manage the difference between the interest rates charged to our borrowers and interest rates paid to our investors, or the providers of funds to us, taking into account the interests of the Society, our members, and your rights and interests as an account holder
• to respond to changes in the law or the decision of a court or ombudsman
• to meet relevant regulatory requirements
• to respond to new (or changes to) statements or codes of practice or industry guidance designed to enhance consumer protection
• to reflect changes to our costs in providing the account, including administration costs and costs of providing services or facilities
• to introduce or alter ‘tiers’ of interest where different rates apply depending on the amount in the account.

Where we make any such change, we will act reasonably and we will only make the change if we believe it is fair in the circumstances.

Any change we make to interest rates will be proportionate to the circumstances giving rise to the change.

For further information regarding interest rate changes including the process for notifying you, please refer to section 7 in our leaflet Saving with Ecology – General terms and conditions.

What would the estimated balance be after 12 months based on a £1,000 deposit?

Based on an interest rate of 0.30% gross, the balance on a £1,000 deposit after 12 months would be £1,003.00.

This projection is provided for illustrative purposes only and does not take into account your individual circumstances.

How do I open and manage my account?

Limited to one Ecology Cash ISA per member.

The ISA investment will be, and must remain in, the beneficial ownership of the investor and must not be used as security for a loan.

With our online service, you can view your account transactions, send secure messages and request withdrawals.

The minimum amount to open an Ecology Cash ISA is £25.

The ISA investment limit for the 2020/2021 tax year is £20,000.

The minimum balance required to maintain the Ecology Cash ISA is £25.

Deposits can be made via bank transfer, Direct Debit or by cheque through the post.  You can save monthly by Direct Debit or standing order.

We do not currently accept ISA transfers in or partial transfers in.

Can I withdraw money?

The Ecology Cash ISA is a no notice account.

Withdrawals must be for a specific amount unless the account is to be closed. Accounts can be closed upon request and with no penalty.

If a withdrawal is made, the value may only be replaced by further subscriptions where the annual investment limit for the relevant tax year has not been reached.

On the instructions of the investor and within the time stipulated by the investor, all the investments held in the ISA and proceeds arising from those investments shall be transferred or paid to the investor.

Withdrawals should be requested via our online service (restrictions apply). Withdrawals can also be requested by using one of our Withdrawal/Notification forms or by sending us a letter signed by whoever is authorised to operate the account.

Additional information
This Summary Box should be read in conjunction with the following brochures and leaflets before applying for an Ecology Cash ISA:
Saving with Ecology – General terms and conditions
FSCS Information Sheet
Current savings rates and charges
Our range of savings accounts
Savings account identification requirements

Our standard of service

We’re committed to always giving you the best service that we can, with over 94% of Ecology borrowers rating us as very good or excellent.

You can speak directly to our dedicated team of specialist mortgage advisers who are experts in renovations and retrofits. We consider every project on a case-by-case basis and have extensive experience in non-standard properties, energy efficiency improvements and ecologically sound building practices.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has laid down detailed rules about the service we must offer on regulated residential mortgages. Under these rules, we will provide you with advice and a recommendation on which of the Society’s products is most suitable for you, based on your needs, preferences, and affordability.

How does the mortgage work?

We’ll lend money to help you buy and renovate the property.

Normally, we’ll release up to 90% of the purchase price or value of the property and subsequently, the money required for the renovation costs. As you continue with your renovation, staged payments of up to 90% of your increased property value will be released – this will help you keep tabs on your budget and planning.

This type of mortgage may be suitable if you are able to make a cash deposit on your property and fund the early stages of the build.  We normally recommend 15%  to 20% of your total budget as a good starting point to begin your renovation.

Once your renovation is complete and the energy efficiency of your property is improved, we can lower your interest rate through our C-Change discounts.