NatWest refuse to protect poorer customers from Covid 19

[Tempertamtrum]

I have been refused a contact less debit card by Nat West on my current account.

Have banked with them for 15 years but they say I have to upgrade bank account to go contact less.

Some people are unable to do so.

AmI unreasonable to think this policy is putting poorer people at risk from Covid 19?

Contactless is now £45

Thank you HaudYer, please can you let me know where sanitiser is available?

People in that situation would also be asked to move to a different account from an old one. Not based on income, based on it being an old style account, surely? In similar Circumstances I applied for a similar account which has contactless facility. It has nothing to do with being poor. It was a personal choice not to change accounts

Thank you Cute Orange, I can understand why you won't use Nat West either.

When I used them for work in the past I could even export transactions into Excel for bank recs.

So why should people on lower incomes with basic/foundation accounts be excluded from this?

Certain payment terminals do not authorise contactless payments straight away. Instead, they are batch processed once a day, meaning that there is a chance that your account could be overdrawn.

This is odd. I had a similar account with Nationwide a few years ago. Barely used. Only ever put birthday cheques and a few bits and bobs in it. A proper basic one. They still let me have a contactless card. In fact their bank account for 11-17 year olds comes with a contactless card should you wish it to.

I used to work for a bank (15 years ago) when paying everything by direct debit was becoming more common. There were only two types of account - all singing and dancing with debit card, cheque guarantee, overdraft, cheque book etc, and the very basic account where you could have direct debits and cash card only but no other credit facilities. The former was credit scored, the latter you could just open straight away or if you failed the credit score.

I suspect many basic bank accounts still have limitations on them, whether you applied for them or were unable to get the full facilities for whatever reason.

I know À LOT of customers from all walks of life could not manage with the overdraft facility so this was a godsend for many. I do wonder how many people get into debt these days because spending money is so easy - you never even see the money being exchanged.

However, contact less in covid times is preferable, although banks still have a responsibility to customers to think about their spending?

Nope, they said I had to open a new current account, not upgrade, was easier to open a new account elsewhere.

I had this advice from NatWest and it caused me no end of aggro, not least because of their terrible inconsistent service and advice meaning I couldn't access my money for over a month and then it turned out it was wrong advice to start with. On several occasions I've had completely bum steers depending on what random advisor I manage to get through to that day, so definitely do not get a whole new account without it being 1000% clear that it's absolutely necessary. They are total muppets and if I hadn't been so worn out with the whole thing, I'd have left and started afresh elsewhere.

So your title is fake then, as suspected.

I can see your point a bit Stronger but do you not think in these times, where we are realising health is more inportant than wealth and our government is printing money for the already rich, that we could give pooer people a little slack?

@Tempertamtrum like I said it’s not just a case of clicking a button and giving everyone a contactless card. It could be that all accounts would have to be closed and reopened on a different product. Which is unlikely to be viable - time to input, requirements for ID and customer approval etc.

The only reason you won't be allowed a contactless card is if your still on a childs adapt account or if your on a credit restricted account because of previous bad credit. Using contactless doesn't check your balance and make sure you have enough funds hence why if you have a credit restricted accounted you cant have one.

I think you're reaching just a little bit there OP...

I have two accounts with the same bank. One has a contactless card and the other doesn't, it's because one has an authorised overdraft facility. It's purely based on the type of account and nothing to do with the person who has the account. As the said you could change to a different account then they're not refusing you at all.

I've had a contactless card for ages with Natwest I've got a select bank account.its basic with a. Debit card. No payment monthly or anything like that. I've had overdrafts etc. No debts for over 5/6 years. Not sure it's to do with being poorer more just the type of account.

Bit of a misleading title OP. Anyway, by the time you have touched the trolley and all the products you need, inputting your number into the chip and pin reader is neither here nor there. Good hygiene is the key at all times.

So why should people on lower incomes with basic/foundation accounts be excluded from this?

Basic Bank Accounts (as opposed to the current accounts most people have) use a different system for debit cards which (as a PP says) checks your balance and only permits a payment if you have funds- you literally can't go overdrawn. Most of these don't have contactless but there is no technical reason why not these days (there used to be). HSBC do contactless for BBAs, not sure if anyone else does.

I agree with PPs who say you were probably told wrong information and should be able to convert the account.

Lots of poor people manage their money fine and lots of rich people screw up their finances, so I think it's unhelpful to characterise BBAs as for poor people. That said I agree that banks should be pushed to implement contactless for these accounts.

Mountain molehill

I love Natwest. Was a customer for many years but we got a better deal with Barclays as the business is through them.
I had the same issue though, when I first applied for an account with Natwest, my credit rating was so bad, I only got approved for the most basic of bank accounts. Which don't support contactless.
As my credit rating improved I was able to get it but was told the same as you by Natwest.

I would have stayed with them. But Barclays have been okay so far. The moment they aren't I'll go straight back

My basic bank account doesn’t have a contactless card. So I’ve got Apple Pay set up which is actually better since I never have to enter the PIN (because I have to unlock my phone to use it, which I usually do with facial recognition). I’ve gone from predominantly using cash to virtually never using cash because Apple Pay is so much easier. It takes a few days to see the details of the transaction but it comes off my available balance immediately so no nasty surprises.

I'm in the same position. It is because I have a Foundation acc (previously known as a Basic Acc.) I can't have a standard current acc because I'm in a debt management plan which means I wouldn't pass a credit check. The only difference between a standard & foundation acc is the lack of contact less. The reason is because the bank can't control contactless transactions as closely as ATM or chip-&-pin. There is no possibility of overdrawing with the current setup... contactless introduces that risk. I understand & respect the rationale...but I do worry about where it will leave me as the increase of cashlessness

Change banks , most bank accounts even their basic ones that people with poor credit get have contact less cards.

Banks have updated their cards to a £45 contactless limit but the onus is also on the retailers to update their software. I’m not sure they’re all there yet.

How are you a "poorer" customer with 4k in your account? And why would it matter the balance of your account to get a contact less card?

I've been with NatWest for years. My credit is not great but I still managed to get an account with them, with a contactless card, and a small overdraft. Definitely not a high earner so it's nothing to do with having a low income. It sounds like you have bad credit, but it also sounds like you didn't even try, which isn't their fault.