Unicaja Banco brings forward to Friday 3 April the payment of unemployment benefits to those customers who have arranged to receive the payment directly into their account. This way, the bank wants to contribute to mitigate the consequences of the crisis caused by the coronavirus on the most vulnerable.
The payment of unemployment benefits was scheduled for 9 April. The advance in the payment intends to reduce the effect of the situation caused by the coronavirus on household economies.
Unicaja Banco joins this measure, adopted by the associations AEB, CECA and UNACC, which group all the financial sector, in collaboration with the Public State Employment Service (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal, SEPE).
This initiative joins a set of measures already launched, such as the liquidity and funding facility with State guarantees to enable companies and freelancers to overcome the difficulties arising from the current situation or the moratorium for mortgages and other loans for people in vulnerable situations.
With regard to companies and freelancers, Unicaja Banco also offers other measures aimed at the flexibilization of the financial conditions, adapted to each particular case. In relation to shops, it offers, among other actions, temporary waiver of fees in POS and facilities for telematic processing.
The bank also brought forward the payment of the Social Security pensions to 24 March, at no cost for customers, making them available at the branches and ATMs, with the purpose of helping to protect the health of the elderly, as they are a risk group in this pandemic situation.
ATMs and cards
Other specific measures that Unicaja Banco is applying to offer more flexibility to its customers include the fact that clients will not have to pay any fee for withdrawing money on debit at any ATM throughout Spain during the state of alarm.
This decision was adopted by the credit entities member of CECA and gives customers who need to withdraw cash to go to the closest ATM to their home, regardless of the bank they belong to, thus reducing travels.
Additionally, the contactless payment limit in cards and devices has been temporarily increased from 20 to 50 euros, so as to reduce the number of transactions where the PIN number has to be introduced in the terminals.
Since the Government declared the state of alarm to fight the spread of coronavirus, Unicaja Banco is operating normally and its operational and customer service channels are active, with special reinforcement of the prevention measures, in compliance with the provisions made by the healthcare and official authorities.
Digital Banking
The bank is promoting and recommending the use of electronic resources and channels such as ATMs, digital banking (web and app) or card payments, as well as customer service over the phone and through its social media profiles.
With a view to ensuring customer service and to protect their health and that of employees, Unicaja Banco has activated a prevention and action plan, as well as a permanent follow-up committee, in compliance with the recommendations made by the authorities.
