Jackie Cropper: 250,000 Scots are facing bank account deficit

But while most people take having access to their own money for granted, for hundreds of thousands of Scots this is not the case as the most basic of necessities – access to a bank account – is unavailable to them.

Grand Central Savings is a charity that provides basic accounts to people who cannot access mainstream banking.

We estimate that a quarter of a million of Scotland's adult population have no bank account. Without access to an account, people often have great difficulty with the essentials of life – getting a job, accessing benefits, managing finances, or keeping a roof over their heads.

This ultimately means their feelings of safety and self-worth decline dramatically. In some instances, it wouldn't be going too far to say that having an account with us has saved people's lives.

We never charge our customers and rely solely on funding support from external organisations. That's why today we are launching Bridging the Gap, our manifesto for the Scottish elections. We are calling on all political parties in Scotland to commit to bring in legislation that will guarantee the rights of all Scots to have access to a basic account.

We are also calling for support for those parts of the third sector that promote financial inclusion and practical solutions to this most urgent of problems.

By adopting the pledges, our politicians would signal clearly their belief in, and support for, some of our country's most socially excluded individuals, people who must not be forgotten during these challenging times of financial uncertainty.

The need for the service we offer is crucial now, as often these individuals are the first to be hit and the least able to help themselves. Investment now will ultimately produce considerable savings in health and social service budgets.

• Jackie Cropper is chief executive of Grand Central Savings.