Keep Me Posted has received a boost from Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, who has backed the campaign to give consumers the right to choose, without disadvantage, how they are contacted by banks and financial services firms, utility companies, and other service providers.
Catherine met recently in Parliament with Keep Me Posted Chair, Judith Donavan CBE, to hear more about the campaign and to pledge her support on behalf of her Newcastle North constituents.
Keep Me Posted is a partnership of more than 80 representatives from charities, interest groups and businesses including Age UK, National Consumer Federation, Salvation Army, Esther Rantzen’s Silver Line and the Institute of Consumer Affairs, who are increasingly concerned about the growing trends towards online-only bills and statements, and the impact this is having on people’s ability to effectively manage their finances.
The campaign’s research has shown that people understand their finances better, and make better financial decisions when they receive information on paper, rather than online. A recent report by leading digital charity Go On UK also highlighted that in some parts of the UK, as many as one in three adults do not have the basic digital skills needed to effectively manage their financial affairs online.
And figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that some 118,000 adults on Tyneside have never used the internet or have not done so within the last three months.
The UK already lags behind other European countries such as Spain, France, Germany and Finland where the right for consumers to receive free paper bills and statements is enshrined in law.
Catherine said:
‘I know that many people across my constituency find being able to organise their finances online extremely valuable, and this has become part of everyday life for many people.
‘But many others simply do not have easy or affordable access to the internet, or know how to use it confidently. They should absolutely have the right to choose how they receive important financial information from service providers including banks and utility companies, without being penalised by having to pay to keep their paper bills and statements.’