A woman from Cornwall was forced to travel almost 100 miles to deposit a £900 cheque from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after her bank changed its policy. Annabel Yates, from Crackington Haven, said the cheque lacked perforated edges and could not be scanned via her bank's app.
Ms Yates first tried to deposit the cheque at her local Post Office, but was told that Lloyds Banking Group had ended its cheque deposit service at Post Office branches in January. She then had no choice but to make a near 100-mile round trip to a Lloyds branch in Truro.
Ms Yates criticised the policy, saying it 'disenfranchised the rural population'. She told the BBC: 'I think the bank's theory is everything could be done on an app and that's just not always the case. It's very backwards thinking.' She also rejected a freepost option, citing concerns about sending a large cheque through the post.
Lloyds Banking Group said customers can use its app to pay in cheques, visit any Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch, or use its freepost cheque deposit service. A HMRC spokesperson said most customers can request a refund via bank transfer using their personal tax account or the HMRC app.
The story comes as the Treasury launched a review of access to face-to-face banking, led by former Which? director Richard Lloyd. Economic Secretary Lucy Rigby said the review will identify problems and inform potential legislation. Consumer group Which? and Age UK welcomed the review, highlighting the impact of bank branch closures on communities and older people.
