Growing up in and amongst the bustle of market stalls filled with aunties deftly negotiating final sales prices, restless children and bags filled to the brim, more often than not the day would end at one of the many kiosks plastered with money transfer companies’ tariffs. Tiny tables tucked to the corners of multipurpose shops, all with one unifying sell – a connection to home, via money. 

From the Windrush generation right through to those recently arrived in the UK from African and Caribbean nations, migrants took a step forward in order to secure a better future for both themselves, their immediate family and the community beyond. 

Prior to FaceTime and tariff-free international calls, sending money via companies like MoneyGram and Western Union was a way to both ‘pay it forward’ and provide proof that your move was a successful one. Now in 2023, much like how banking has evolved with the introduction of Monzo and Revlout, money transfer options like Remitly and Wise have begun to revolutionise the international money transfer space.