Branches / Boston / Loyal Windmill
Loyal Windmill is a combination of several branches which have merged over the years from Lincolnshire and Norfolk and now has about 130 members who are based all over the country, from Swindon in the south up to East Kilbride in Scotland. Although now one of the smaller branches, in the early days of the KU Boston was a district with several branches, as was Wainfleet (near Skegness)now there is no longer a single member in Wainfleet!
Contributions All new members are encouraged to pay monthly by standing order and many other long-established members have decided to pay by this method. There are now only a small number who pay in cash and reminders are sent at regular intervals so they keep up to date with payments.
New Names Schemes and Funds have been recently re-named to make it easier to associate them with their purpose: Personal Thrift became Long Term Savings i.e. you receive this money when you are 65. Surplus Contributions is now Interest Account ie this is the account on which the Branch pays interest. Surplus Capital is now Medical Account ie it is used for Medical Expenses. Health & Personal Thrift Scheme has been renamed the Health & Long Term Savings Scheme, Sick & Death became Health & Life.
Minimums and Maximums The number of units you may invest in has recently changed. Junior Health & Long Term Savings for junior members under the age of 16 years now has a minimum of 10 (unchanged) but a maximum of 40 units
Health & Long Term Savings for members between 16 and 54 years at entry now has a minimum of 20 units and a maximum of 50
Health & Life for members between 16 and 55 years at entry has the same minimums and maximums as the Health & Long Term Savings.
All these schemes pay sickness benefit of £1 per unit (per week).
Life Membership for members between 16 and 70 years of age at entry now also has a minimum of 20 units and a maximum of 50
If you are interested in increasing your units please contact the Secretary.
Benefit claims Once members have funds in their Medical Account and Interest Account (see above) they are permitted claims. The branch policy at present is to pay the claims in full, but members should be aware that if they use up all their funds they have to wait for the next Society valuation before being permitted further claims. For Medical Account claims members must present an official receipt to the secretary before payment is made (no claims are paid if the receipt is more than six months old); for claims from the Interest Account written notice must be given to the secretary. Payments are usually made within 10-14 days.