THE chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society has said Bradford remains “incredibly important” to the organisation – as she hailed the UK’s City of Culture.
Susan Allen praised Bradford on the day Yorkshire Building’s Society’s annual financial results were released.
The society, which has its head office on Yorkshire Drive, off Rooley Lane in Bradford, reported a drop in profits but said it had achieved a “solid performance” with an increase in savings and mortgage balances.
Speaking to the Telegraph & Argus this morning, Ms Allen said: “Bradford remains incredibly important to Yorkshire Building Society – it’s at the heart of our business.
“We have just over 3,600 colleagues across Yorkshire Building Society – and almost 3,000 of those are in the Bradford area.
“It’s a really important location for us.
“As we continue to grow, we expect to see even more roles in Bradford as we continue to support more members.”
Yorkshire Building Society is one of the major supporters of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
“We’re very pleased to be involved,” Ms Allen said.
“This year, more than 1,000 young people will come through our doors, giving them a chance to experience what it’s like to work in our business.
“I hope many of the young people feel inspired and think ‘you know what, I could work here’.
“We’re really keen to support young people, helping them to improve their skills and employability.”
She added that the Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation had established the Building Bradford Skills Fund, which will provide £1 million in grants to charities in Bradford’s most deprived areas to improve employability.
In its annual financial results, Yorkshire Building Society reported a profit before tax of £383.7m for 2024 – down from £450.3m the previous year.
Mortgage balances grew by 6.2 per cent to £49.7 billion, with a total of 41,000 new mortgages provided.
Savings balances rose by 10.6 per cent to £52bn. Nearly 2.9 million people now save with the society after 537,000 savings accounts were opened in 2024.
Ms Allen said: “Yorkshire Building Society’s solid performance has continued in our 160th year.
“Throughout our history, we have focused on helping generation after generation find a place to call home and improve their financial well-being.
“We’re a proud mutual, with no external shareholders, so our profits are returned to our members through higher savings rates, and reinvested in our products, services and communities.
“I am proud of the progress we have made in 2024, powered by our brilliant people.”
