When someone undergoing treatment for blood cancer tried to report suspicious activity on their bank account, they did everything right.
They didn’t click any links, didn’t trust a cold call, and found a trusted phone number to speak to the bank directly.
But what followed exposed a systemic failure that should concern us all—because this person isn’t alone.
They’re one of many people in the UK who are vulnerable, offline, or cognitively impaired, and who now find themselves shut out of a digital-first system that was never built with them in mind.
We’re nearly halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £20 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
They did the right thing—but the system still failed
This individual doesn’t use internet banking.
They don’t browse banking websites, and wouldn’t be able to navigate digital systems even if they wanted to.
So when they received a message about potential fraud, they ignored it—just like banks say you should—and tried to call the bank directly.
But even that was harder than expected.
The bank’s website doesn’t make its phone number easy to find.
It isn’t there – or if it is, it’s buried beneath layers of app and online help prompts.
So for someone who doesn’t use the internet, it’s essentially inaccessible.
Eventually, they found a verified number through non-digital means (it was on an old hard-copy letter)—and got through.
That’s when things got worse.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
“We need your PIN”
Once connected to a genuine staff member, they were asked for their card number—a reasonable step.
But then, unbelievably, they were asked for their PIN.
That’s the one thing banks tell us never to share.
It’s written on ATMs, stated on websites, printed in brochures: “We’ll never ask for your PIN.”
And yet here it was, requested by a real bank representative.
Our customer didn’t remember the PIN and said so.
They were then asked to provide photo ID—a passport or driving licence.
But they didn’t have either.
No alternatives were offered.
No escalation path explained.
The call ended with the bank saying they couldn’t help.
And that was it.
No follow-up.
No confirmation of whether fraud had occurred.
No protection.
Just limbo.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
Two customers. Two banks. Two very different outcomes.
Now contrast that with another vulnerable customer—this time, an elderly person with a different bank.
That bank proactively offered them a direct human support line.
No apps.
No online portals.
Just a number, and a human being, to call.
Why the difference?
Why should basic human support be a postcode lottery based on which bank happens to hold your money?
What vulnerable customers are supposed to get – but often don’t
Banks say they support vulnerable users. But what happens in practice tells a different story.
Here’s what vulnerable customers should be offered:
-
A clearly advertised human-staffed phone line.
-
Alternative ways to prove identity if they don’t have photo ID.
-
Staff who are trained never to request a PIN—and who offer safe, practical ways forward.
-
A clear process to log and escalate fraud reports, even if standard procedures can’t be followed.
-
The right to escalate unresolved complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service—without having to go online to do it.
Too often, these protections are hidden, inconsistent, or just unavailable.
What needs to change
We need industry-wide standards—not optional extras.
Every UK bank should be required to:
-
Provide clearly advertised phone support for vulnerable customers, ensuring they can speak to a human directly when needed.
-
Offer non-digital ways to resolve issues and submit evidence, including alternative ID verification methods for individuals who don’t have passports or driving licenses.
-
Ensure staff are trained on the critical policy never to ask for sensitive information like PINs.
-
Log and act on potential fraud—even when the caller doesn’t fit the ideal digital customer profile.
-
Make it easy to escalate cases to the Financial Ombudsman, with paper or phone-based options.
Regulators (such as the Financial Conduct Authority) should:
-
Mandate accessibility and support standards across the industry.
-
Audit banks for compliance with protections specifically for vulnerable customers.
-
Penalize banks that fail to follow proper fraud protocols or abandon customers mid-process.
You need an Explicit Right to Escalate Fraud Concerns:
-
Vulnerable customers must have the explicit right to escalate unresolved fraud concerns to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
-
Non-digital routes for submitting complaints and reports must be available.
-
Fast-track options should exist for medically vulnerable or cognitively impaired users who need urgent assistance.
What You Can Do:
-
Check what support your bank offers to vulnerable users—ask directly for a dedicated human contact line.
-
Demand better protections for yourself, and any vulnerable loved ones, by reaching out to your bank and advocating for accessible support options.
-
Contact your MP or relevant authorities to push for industry-wide standards in banking accessibility and fraud protections.
-
If your bank fails to protect you or address your fraud concerns, use the Financial Ombudsman Service as your next step, and make sure you document everything.
-
Help raise awareness: Share this article to push for change, and to ensure that no one is left behind due to a broken system.
We’re nearly halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £20 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
Let’s close the gap this week! Help us hit £50 and power the next investigation.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
Key points to remember:
-
Multi-modal verification (such as phone, postal, or in-person options) must be offered, especially for customers without digital access.
-
Human contact should never be restricted to digital channels—vulnerable customers must have direct access to support over the phone.
-
Clear public education is needed about what banks can and cannot ask for—such as never asking for your PIN.
-
Regulatory enforcement is critical—banks must not be left to self-regulate when the stakes involve people’s personal safety and security.
Because no one should be left in limbo for being too ill, too old, or too cautious to use an app.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Vulnerable customers need personal banking support – here’s how to fight for it
When someone undergoing treatment for blood cancer tried to report suspicious activity on their bank account, they did everything right.
They didn’t click any links, didn’t trust a cold call, and found a trusted phone number to speak to the bank directly.
But what followed exposed a systemic failure that should concern us all—because this person isn’t alone.
They’re one of many people in the UK who are vulnerable, offline, or cognitively impaired, and who now find themselves shut out of a digital-first system that was never built with them in mind.
We’re nearly halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £20 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
They did the right thing—but the system still failed
This individual doesn’t use internet banking.
They don’t browse banking websites, and wouldn’t be able to navigate digital systems even if they wanted to.
So when they received a message about potential fraud, they ignored it—just like banks say you should—and tried to call the bank directly.
But even that was harder than expected.
The bank’s website doesn’t make its phone number easy to find.
It isn’t there – or if it is, it’s buried beneath layers of app and online help prompts.
So for someone who doesn’t use the internet, it’s essentially inaccessible.
Eventually, they found a verified number through non-digital means (it was on an old hard-copy letter)—and got through.
That’s when things got worse.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
“We need your PIN”
Once connected to a genuine staff member, they were asked for their card number—a reasonable step.
But then, unbelievably, they were asked for their PIN.
That’s the one thing banks tell us never to share.
It’s written on ATMs, stated on websites, printed in brochures: “We’ll never ask for your PIN.”
And yet here it was, requested by a real bank representative.
Our customer didn’t remember the PIN and said so.
They were then asked to provide photo ID—a passport or driving licence.
But they didn’t have either.
No alternatives were offered.
No escalation path explained.
The call ended with the bank saying they couldn’t help.
And that was it.
No follow-up.
No confirmation of whether fraud had occurred.
No protection.
Just limbo.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
Two customers. Two banks. Two very different outcomes.
Now contrast that with another vulnerable customer—this time, an elderly person with a different bank.
That bank proactively offered them a direct human support line.
No apps.
No online portals.
Just a number, and a human being, to call.
Why the difference?
Why should basic human support be a postcode lottery based on which bank happens to hold your money?
What vulnerable customers are supposed to get – but often don’t
Banks say they support vulnerable users. But what happens in practice tells a different story.
Here’s what vulnerable customers should be offered:
A clearly advertised human-staffed phone line.
Alternative ways to prove identity if they don’t have photo ID.
Staff who are trained never to request a PIN—and who offer safe, practical ways forward.
A clear process to log and escalate fraud reports, even if standard procedures can’t be followed.
The right to escalate unresolved complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service—without having to go online to do it.
Too often, these protections are hidden, inconsistent, or just unavailable.
What needs to change
We need industry-wide standards—not optional extras.
Every UK bank should be required to:
Provide clearly advertised phone support for vulnerable customers, ensuring they can speak to a human directly when needed.
Offer non-digital ways to resolve issues and submit evidence, including alternative ID verification methods for individuals who don’t have passports or driving licenses.
Ensure staff are trained on the critical policy never to ask for sensitive information like PINs.
Log and act on potential fraud—even when the caller doesn’t fit the ideal digital customer profile.
Make it easy to escalate cases to the Financial Ombudsman, with paper or phone-based options.
Regulators (such as the Financial Conduct Authority) should:
Mandate accessibility and support standards across the industry.
Audit banks for compliance with protections specifically for vulnerable customers.
Penalize banks that fail to follow proper fraud protocols or abandon customers mid-process.
You need an Explicit Right to Escalate Fraud Concerns:
Vulnerable customers must have the explicit right to escalate unresolved fraud concerns to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Non-digital routes for submitting complaints and reports must be available.
Fast-track options should exist for medically vulnerable or cognitively impaired users who need urgent assistance.
What You Can Do:
Check what support your bank offers to vulnerable users—ask directly for a dedicated human contact line.
Demand better protections for yourself, and any vulnerable loved ones, by reaching out to your bank and advocating for accessible support options.
Contact your MP or relevant authorities to push for industry-wide standards in banking accessibility and fraud protections.
If your bank fails to protect you or address your fraud concerns, use the Financial Ombudsman Service as your next step, and make sure you document everything.
Help raise awareness: Share this article to push for change, and to ensure that no one is left behind due to a broken system.
We’re nearly halfway there! Thanks to amazing supporters, we’ve raised £20 toward this month’s £50 goal to fund independent research and reporting.
Let’s close the gap this week! Help us hit £50 and power the next investigation.
If you value fearless political journalism that holds the powerful to account, please chip in today. Even £2 helps keep Vox Political running strong.
👉 Support us here: https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
Key points to remember:
Multi-modal verification (such as phone, postal, or in-person options) must be offered, especially for customers without digital access.
Human contact should never be restricted to digital channels—vulnerable customers must have direct access to support over the phone.
Clear public education is needed about what banks can and cannot ask for—such as never asking for your PIN.
Regulatory enforcement is critical—banks must not be left to self-regulate when the stakes involve people’s personal safety and security.
Because no one should be left in limbo for being too ill, too old, or too cautious to use an app.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
you might also like
Bankers who torpedoed the economy are set to get away with it after all
Cameron has shown that protecting the NHS from corporate rape is the last of his concerns
Was the crash really ‘all Labour’s fault’? – Flip Chart Fairy Tales