Research from the Payments Council has revealed that almost three quarters of people needing assistance to make payments due to a disability have admitted to putting themselves at risk by sharing their card and PIN in the past two years.
More than half (56%) of the 1,000 people surveyed by the Payments Council were not aware of secure alternatives to sharing their card and PIN. To counter this, the Council has launched a new Pay Your Way consumer advice guide, which aims to set out payment options to help people stay in control of their financial affairs.
Maurice Cleaves, interim chief executive of the Payments Council, said: “Having a disability or a short or long-term health condition can affect people’s ability to stay in control of their finances through, for example, not being able to get to a bank or cash point. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
“New payment technology and innovation over the last 10 years has afforded us many more options for making payments and staying in control of our bank accounts. Different banks offer different products and services – our new advice guide can help you consider the full range of payment options available, especially if getting out and about has become trickier.”
To help communicate the options for making payments safely and when assistance is required, the Payments Council has been engaging with a range of consumer organisations and charities including Scope and Age UK to ensure that the information can be readily accessed by the relevant groups.
The guide particularly informs those with restricted mobility due such as those with complex and profound learning disabilities, who may find visiting their bank or cash machine difficult.
The authors suggest that for some, mobile, telephone or internet banking, or prepaid cards will offer a good solution. While others may prefer using a cheque or other options which their bank might offer, such as a single use PIN code so someone can take money out on their behalf at an ATM without their card, or opening up a second account with a trusted individual that only holds the funds that they want someone else to access.
The Payments Council is an independent body with responsibility for ensuring that payment services work for all those that use them in the UK.
To download the guide in full visit: www.payyourway.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/PYW_Guide_managingpayments.pdf
