Research by consumer group Which? has exposed the challenges disabled bank customers regularly face, as one customer claims they have to ‘sit on the floor’ as they are unable to stay standing in line
Disabled people suffer a “two tier” service from banks – with one customer revealing they had to sit on the floor of a branch while queuing.
An investigation by consumer group Which? found differing experiences for disabled bank customers, with some providers offering “little more than lip service to inclusivity”. There are an estimated 16.8 million disabled people in the UK, a quarter of the population. However, Which? claims there are huge disparities between the service provided by some of the country’s biggest banks.
It questioned more than 2,200 people with an impairment that impacts their daily lives to rate their current account provider on a number of different measures.
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Online and telephone bank First Direct came top, with an overall customer score of 88%. One customer of 30 years who is severely sight impaired said: “Staff are always helpful and efficient. It’s probably the only organisation with which I have no problem with my disability.”
Second placed Nationwide building society, with a score of 78%, was praised for its face-to-face banking. It has promised to keep all 605 branches open until at least the start of 2030. Bottom was Virgin Money, with a score of 52%, with customers giving it just two stars out of a possible five for its online services and the same for the way it went about communicating with them. TSB was second from bottom, with a score of 54%.
Among the big challenges disabled bank customers face is the widespread closures of branches. Banks have blamed the cull on a shift by customers to online banking instead. But campaigners say this ignores the plight of those who still prefer to use branches or, for whatever reason, need to do so. Closures can also leave people facing long, and potentially impossible, treks to the next nearest branch for the provider they are with.
One person who took part in the survey and who is autistic and lives with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, said: “The nearest branch is 26 miles away, in Edinburgh city centre. This is an hour’s drive, but there’s no parking close to the branch. Or it also takes an hour by public transport, which I find exhausting, and still requires a walk at the end.
“I usually find queues waiting to be served when I arrive. I find standing still even more exhausting than walking, and can only manage it for a few minutes. I often wind up sitting on the floor to maintain my queue position. This is not only unpleasant, but also hard to stand up again from.”
The survey revealed how 36% of disabled customers find banking in a branch difficult, from limited parking nearby to lack of toilet facilities or no low counters for those with mobility scooters or wheelchairs. The industry says it tries to offer banks ‘hubs’ when the last branch in an area closes.
Another common complaint is “digital exclusion”, or the difficulty people face with online banking, especially after they branch shuts. Which? said: “Several people lamented the loss of dedicated phone lines for older and more vulnerable customers during Covid lockdowns. No banks have helplines or email addresses specifically for disabled customers.”
It added: “Training staff to be more aware and sensitive to a wide range of support needs was a common theme, as was calling for banks to pilot-test digital and automated telephony services before they are released.”
One challenge identified in the research was that many disabled people do not tell their bank about their needs. That was the case for 26% of those in the survey, many of whom said they do not see the point as they bank online, although others felt there was “no one to tell” since their branch closed.
TSB said in response: “We take the accessibility needs of our customers very seriously and engage with charities and people with disabilities to continue to improve our services. We have over 250 physical locations across the UK where customers can carry out their banking in person. In addition, we are one of the few banks that offers video banking, which can be a great tool for those with accessibility issues.’
Virgin Money cited improvements such as instant access to remote interpretation services and Speak Easy cards in branches. It said: ‘“Naturally, we’re disappointed to see the result as it’s not what we strive for, for our customers. However, we value all feedback and will use these findings to further improve our approach to accessibility to help create an inclusive experience for all customers.”
