Access to in person banking services for disabled people is an important part of personal independence. In July the UK Government conducted a consultation about access to banking services and asked for evidence. The aim of the consultation was to find out:
- What in person banking services are essential and important.
- How are changes to the delivery of banking causing problems for customers and how big are they.
- What do organizations and people think about the way in person banking services are delivered and how will do we think this will develop in future.
- Our written response to this consultation used the data we gathered as part of our Cost of Living Research 2026. Our starting point was that 73% of respondents to our survey said they used online banking, 6% only bank at a branch and 21% said that their choice of whether to do online or in person banking would depend on what they needed to do. e 10.
Our full consultation response can be read at this link DES Response Access to Banking Services Review Call for Evidence
Meeting with Sir Richard Lloyd, Chair of the Access to Banking Services Review
After submitting our written consultation response, DES were invited to a meeting with Sir Richard Lloyd, the chair of the review, to talk about in person banking services used by disabled people during his visit to Scotland. DES were the only Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) at this meeting. It was very productive and Sir Richard wanted to hear directly what life is like for disabled people when they use their bank.
We told Sir Richard what we had said in our written consultation response. We explained the barriers disabled people can face when trying to access their bank and financial services more broadly. We were able to use quotes from our members to highlight the issues they face. Our discussion covered the following areas;
- Banks moving more towards online banking creates barriers for disabled people trying to access savings or cash if they do not have digital access or if the bank’s own websites and apps aren’t accessible. We suggested the best way to solve the problem would be for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (the body that sets the rules) to co-design with disabled people new accessibility rules for banking. These new rules would also need to cover any financial documents banks generate, like statements or letters, so that they are designed in line with inclusive communication principles. Accessibility isn’t a choice – it is a legal obligation that banks have to their customers. DES believes that the FCA should play an active role in making sure banks deliver accessible services and follow the rules.
- The current banking rules do not say what the “essential services” are that banks must provide. As more people have have to bank digitally the rules need to be clearer. DES thinks that the rules should clearly state what essential services are and that there should be a service obligation that applies both to online and in person banking. By clarifying this in the rules, people will know what to expect and have confidence that their bank is meeting its obligations. To do this, the FCA, Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and the banks should co-design and agree these rules together.
Sir Richard told us that he expects to publish the findings from his review in October 2026. He will make recommendations about what he thinks needs to change to improve access to in person banking services. DES looks forward to the publication of the review and will carefully consider its recommendations.
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