Cash? You're having a laugh!
01/08/2007
Gone are the days when you would hear the words "discount for cash." As many Mature Times' readers have discovered, paying by cash or cheque these days usually means being penalised with a surcharge or a "handling fee."
The increasing practice is leaving many of the least well off in society even less well off.
And it looks as though it is also losing UK businesses millions of pounds a year - which isn't surprising, given the number of people who do not have bank accounts or choose not to use direct debit.
According to a recent survey published by the Post Office, almost six million UK households still use cash or cheques to pay their bills, either through choice or lack of access to banking services. In fact, 2.8 million UK adults do not actually have a bank account and rely on cash payment methods to pay all their bills, and a further six million people who do have bank accounts choose cash over direct debit to pay their bills.
But several companies, notably some major combined broadband internet, telephone and digital TV providers, health and leisure groups and monthly mobile phone operators, only offer their services to customers who pay by direct debit. This means that Telecoms companies failing to offer cash or cheque payment options are turning away £165 million every month, and Health and Leisure organisations are turning away £405 million every month.
Post Office marketing director Gary Hockey-Morley said: “Failing to offer a cash or cheque payment method means that businesses are restricting the size of their potential market. With 14,000 Post Office branches across the UK and 99% of people living within three miles of a branch, we offer an easy route to cash or cheque bill payment services, and can also ensure that companies are socially inclusive in offering their services to people without bank accounts.”
The Post Office provides a range of bill payments services, enabling cash payments for telephone, cable TV, utilities, mail order, council tax, travel and insurance providers. Making more use of the Post Offices is also one way to help ensure their survival in the face of their continuing culling by the Government.
To find out more about Post Office bill payment services call 0845 6070 799 or visit the business services section on the Post Office website, linked below.