OAPs are ending up without any money according to the Reading Evening Post (23/8/2005):
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699 Basic Bank Accounts (which includes Post Office Card Accounts), do not offer the facility of being able to sign for your cash. All other types of card accounts offer this facility. Part of the new CHIP & PIN system was to facilitate those who couldn't manage a PIN with Chip & Signature Cards. It's a real shame that the Postmistress in Reading has to write down customers PINs as she either isn't aware that their card issuer maybe able to offer them a Chip & Signature Card. This begs the question: are Basic Bank & Post Office Card accounts falling foul of the Disability Discrimination Act in so much as these types of accounts do not offer a signing facility? (By the way these cards have signature strips, one wonders why)Surely those who have any difficulty operating or having issues with PINs deserve better than this?