Call for action over cheques

Echoing calls in today's media for banks and building societies to take action to make sure that cheques are still widely accepted as a method of payment,  Age Cymru's Director of Influencing and Programme Development, Victoria Lloyd says:

"Confidence in cheques was seriously undermined when the guarantee card was recently abolished and Age Cymru wants to know that there are definite plans in place to restore trust in them.

"Our concern is that otherwise, cheques will simply be allowed to wither away and their demise will be blamed on  lack of demand.

"Cheques are too important to many older people to just fade away, particularly as the banks and building societies have not come up with an alternative payment system which is safe and accessible and allows people to maintain their financial independence."