Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy

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Source Verification and Manual Checking Policy

This policy explains how our team checks building society details, official links, phone numbers, addresses and maps before using them in our guides.

Human-reviewed guidance Official-source checking Information only

How we verify information

Our source verification process is designed to reduce user confusion and avoid unsafe or outdated details. Before adding important information to a guide, our team checks whether the detail is available on an official building society website, regulatory page, recognised official register or reliable public source.

Human verification: We manually check important public details such as official links, phone numbers, branch addresses, maps, support pages, contact routes and update notes where available. We then write the guide in our own words so it is easier to understand.

Sources we prefer

Source typeHow we use it
Official building society websitePrimary source for contact details, branch pages, customer-support routes, product pages, accessibility support and complaint routes.
FCA and Financial Services RegisterUsed to help users understand how to check whether a firm is authorised and what permissions appear on the public record.
PRA and Bank of England resourcesUsed for general context where building societies are prudentially regulated or listed by official sources.
FSCSUsed for general information about deposit protection and how users can check whether money may be protected.
Official map or branch locatorUsed to help users confirm branch locations and avoid relying only on third-party map listings.

What we check before publication

Official website URLWe check that the link points to the expected official website or official service page.
Phone numberWe compare phone numbers with official contact pages where available.
Address and mapWe check branch or office addresses against official branch locators, public listings or official pages.
Page intentWe ensure the guide explains what the user should verify before clicking, calling or applying.

Limits of verification

Building society information can change quickly. Branch opening hours, phone queues, product rates, eligibility rules, fees, complaints contacts and online service links may change after our last review. We therefore encourage users to confirm final details on the official source before acting.

Do not rely on screenshots, old PDFs or cached pages for financial decisions.

Always check the current official page, the FCA Register where relevant, and the building society’s own terms before applying, moving money or sharing personal information.