A NEW loan to help those struggling with the cost of Christmas has been launched in Bradford.

As the festive period nears, Bradford District Credit Union (BDCU) is offering its members a tailor-made Christmas loan.

They can apply for up to £1,000 for Christmas if they are employed and £500 otherwise.

The loan is only for a maximum of 12 months, so will need to be repaid before next Christmas.

People can find out more about the Christmas loan and make an application by visiting BDCU's website at: bdcu.co.uk/christmas-loan/

BDCU, which was started by Bradford Council in 1993, has around 9,000 members who can use the scheme to save and borrow, safely.

It is run by its members with a fair approach to credit assessment.