Looking ahead to the Payment Council’s Meeting tomorrow to decide if 2018 is an appropriate date to begin the withdrawal of cheques, Andrew Harrop, Head of Public Policy for Age Concern and Help the Aged, said:

'Many older people rely on cheques as their main form of payment and will be very worried about how they will manage if they are withdrawn. 

'Our fear is that setting a date will give the green light to banks and retailers to withdraw cheques even earlier than 2018, as some already have. It is vital that before cheques are phased out, the Payments Council ensures there is a practical, safe, paper-based alternative in place which serves the needs of this group. 

'Chip and pin is problematic for many older and housebound people and we know 6.4 million over 65’s have never used the internet. Without cheques, we are very concerned people will be forced to keep large amounts of cash in their home, leaving them vulnerable to theft and financial abuse.  
 
'We are being asked to take on trust that the banking industry will create an alternative people can use, but new forms of payment can take a long time to develop and no action has been taken to date.'