First Bus and Money First Aid strengthen partnership to support employee financial wellbeing

29th January 2025] – First Bus, one of the UK's largest bus operators, has announced the introduction of Money First Aid training for 300 key members of staff, including all mental health first aiders, wellbeing champions, and managers.  

This decision follows a successful pilot programme developed in partnership with Money First Aid that received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants and demonstrated the value of equipping employees with the knowledge to support colleagues facing financial difficulties. 

Money First Aid is a CPD-certified online training course designed to empower employees to provide initial support to colleagues experiencing financial challenges. Similar to how mental health first aiders address emotional wellbeing, Money First Aiders® can hold effective, confidential and compassionate conversations about money, and signpost colleagues toward appropriate resources and professional help. 

Money First Aid training focuses specifically on financial challenges that are particularly difficult to talk about, creating an environment where these difficulties can be openly discussed without stigma. This initiative comes at a critical time as financial wellbeing continues to become an increasingly prominent issue in workplaces, ​with​ financial stress cited as a leading contributor to poor mental health. * 

Through this training, First Bus aims to address these challenges head-on, by ensuring that its workforce feels supported and resilient. As part of its commitment to learning and development, First Bus is providing team members with an opportunity to grow their skills while actively contributing to a positive workplace culture. By targeting key roles such as managers and wellbeing champions, the training ensures that the 14,000 employees across all levels of the organisation have access to practical and compassionate financial support. 

The pilot programme showcased the benefits of Money First Aid training in practice. Participants reported feeling more confident and better equipped to have meaningful conversations about financial stress, as well as being better prepared to signpost colleagues to additional support. 

Gareth Hind, Director of Colleague Experience and Relations at First Bus, commented: “We’re proud to be deepening our partnership with Money First Aid and roll out this training more widely across the business. By continuing to work with Money First Aid we’re able to better support the financial wellbeing of our colleagues. We want to ensure First Bus is a great place, to be, work and grow, and this partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to putting our people at the heart of our business.” 

Rachel Harte, Co-Founder of Money First Aid, said: “First Bus is leading the way in demonstrating how employers can make a real difference to their teams’ financial wellbeing. We are excited to roll this out across First Bus and measure the positive impact this training will have on their team.” 

ENDS 

* - 86% said their financial situation had made their mental health problems worse (Mental Health Policy Institute) https://www.moneyandmentalhealth.org/money-and-mental-health-facts/ 

- 57% name finances as the top cause of stress in their lives (PWC) https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/business-transformation/library/employee-financial-wellness-survey.html