Millions of vulnerable customers being left behind as firms move online – how to fight back
MILLIONS of vulnerable and elderly people are being forgotten due to the rise of the internet.
With services going digital, it is becoming harder – or impossible – to carry out some day-to-day tasks without web access or knowledge of how to use it.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, says: “Millions of older people are perfectly capable of managing their financial affairs, but struggle to do so simply because they aren’t online.”
James Flanders highlights customers who are being abandoned, and how to get help.
Energy
OLDER customers are finding it increasingly difficult to pay their bills with traditional methods that do not require an online account.
Energy suppliers are also pushing people to pay on a monthly basis by direct debit, reducing customer choice.
In June last year, EDF Energy axed its quarterly billing service.
Meanwhile, British Gas scrapped Giro slips from paper bills for new customers in October.
It means tens of thousands of customers can no longer settle their bills at their local Post Office or bank branch without taking action.
If you would like to pay via Giro slip and no longer receive paper bills, or are issued one without a payment slip, you will need to contact British Gas.
The energy supplier states that customers can request to receive old-style bills with Giro slips, but these aren’t issued automatically.
James Daley, of Fairer Finance, said: “Utility companies offer essential services, so it’s vital they make it as easy as possible for people to pay their bills.”
Ofgem encourages anyone who is vulnerable to sign up to their energy supplier’s Priority Services Register.
It gives customers early warning of blackouts where possible, as well as offering free gas safety checks and extra assistance with paper bills.
An EDF spokesman justified the move to monthly billing, saying: “It allows customers to budget easier and reduces the chance of any bill shocks.”
A British Gas spokesman said: “We’ve not made any changes for customers who currently pay by Giro as we understand it’s important for them to pay in their preferred way.”
Loyalty schemes
LOYALTY schemes are designed to reward regular customers with the best prices and exclusive deals.
However, thousands of elderly and vulnerable people are missing out simply because they do not use the required technology.
For example, Costa’s scheme offers a physical and digital card to collect “beans” towards a free drink.
But if you do not use a smartphone and take out a physical card, you will still have to call customer services to activate it.
Costa said it continues to offer physical Costa Club cards for customers who are not able to use the app.
Martyn James, a consumer rights expert, says: “Many loyalty schemes are now app-based or require online registration.
“This shuts out vast numbers of people who don’t use smartphones or may be older, neurodiverse or simply struggle with technology.
“Loyalty schemes can save people thousands of pounds each year.
“It’s a cruel irony that some of the most loyal customers are the ones being locked out of savings.”
Retired driver Rajinder Singh, 76, and his wife Pritpal Kaur, 73, a sales assistant, feel “increasingly isolated” by the digital world.
The couple, from Hillingdon, West London, say they miss out on the best supermarket deals and offers because they do not have a smartphone.
They rely on their daughter Minreet Kaur, 43, to help them.
They say: “We are loyal to several supermarkets and high street shops, but we don’t use smartphones. We miss out on special offers that are only available through apps and emails.
“We are the forgotten generation.”
Access to cash
OVER the past six years, 15,000 cash machines have disappeared, according to the Association of Convenience Stores.
But last month it was announced that new “super ATMs” would launch in 17 locations where branch closures have left residents unable to access essential banking services.
The ATMs will allow customers to withdraw funds, access their balance and deposit cash.
Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Lloyds, Halifax, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ul- ster Bank are already signed up to allow de- posits at these super ATMs, with more banks set to join soon.
Heather Hughes, an NHS healthcare assistant, is “utterly fed up” by the way the country is moving towards a cashless society.
For example, the 62- year-old, from Wolverhampton, says that parking has become “nothing but difficult in recent years”.
The grandmother has to rely on her daughter to help with paying for parking because meters no longer accept cash.
She says: “I do not use my smartphone for anything other than texts and calls — I don’t know how to. But not being able to pay and being left st- randed just be- cause I cannot download an app is incredibly unfair.
“We should be given a choice.”
Telecoms
THE phasing out of the old landlines will affect those living in rural areas the most.
These customers often lack access to reliable broadband or mobile services, making the switch to digital landlines impractical, if not impossible.
All customers are expected to have moved off the old analogue system by the end of January 2027.
Martyn said: “For the elderly, who rely on their landlines for emergency calls and staying connected with loved ones, this change is more than an inconvenience. It’s a potential lifeline being severed.”
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, added: “Services powered over analogue landlines, such as personal care alarms, would stop working unless users upgrade to digital versions.
“Concerns surrounding vulnerable customers who rely on landline-based services for emergencies had to be addressed.
“The target date for the switch-off was pushed back from the end of 2025 to 2027, allowing more time to make the necessary adjustments.”
Banking
WITH branches closing, paper statements being axed and online banking taking over, older customers can feel cut off.
Research by Age UK shows around 39 per cent of people over 65 do not use online banking and are at “high risk of financial exclusion”.
Joanna Elson, chief executive at Independent Age, said: “Many older people rely on speaking to someone in person and are unable to do their banking digitally. Banks need to ensure access is available for those who can’t use online banking.”
Banking hubs are emerging as a solution to address the gaps left by widespread closures. They let customers of any bank withdraw and deposit cash, make payments and do regular banking transactions.
They also offer a place for customers to speak to staff from their own banks, available on a rotating basis.
There are plans for 146 of these, but so far there are only 60. David Elkins, 82, a retired service engineer from Calne, Wilts, saw his HSBC branch close in 2023 and had to travel ten miles to the next nearest.
He has a kidney issue and needs frequent dialysis, making it impractical.
David went to Nationwide, which has a branch six miles away and had a switch incentive. But he said he was unable to open an account as he did not have an email address.
He added: “I’d have got £175 and would’ve been able to bank locally. It’s disgusting. What’s the point of offering telephone and branch banking services if you can’t set yourself up without an email address?”
A Nationwide spokesman said: “While some offers may be primarily online, we always include an option to support our customers who can’t use digital services. This includes being able to open accounts in branch or via the telephone.”