Credit unions have been given £70,000 in taxpayers’ cash to encourage people to save.

Essex County Council gave the grant to Credit Unions Together - made up of four unions in Witham, Colchester, Harlow and Basildon - for its Savings Generation project.

It is aimed at people who cannot access high street financial services and will give them access to flexible savings, affordable loans and help to manage their finances.

More than 80,000 people in Essex currently do not have a bank account.

Holdfast Credit Union is based in Witham and also covers Braintree.