Post offices and credit unions should offer basic no frills bank accounts and emergency credit to tackle financial exclusion among the poor, it was claimed tonight.
Improved access to financial services could also help people on low incomes avoid the poverty trap by managing their money more effectively, urging savings, and offering affordable credit.
A new report from the Combat Poverty Agency found people in disadvantaged communities face obstacles in accessing and using financial services which prevents them from engaging fully in normal social and economic activities, and sometimes even taking up a job.
Identification requirements for opening a bank account, restrictive criteria for some free bank accounts and a lack of appropriate financial products were among the barriers people face.
"Access to basic financial facilities such as direct debits, electronic transfers, savings accounts or credit can help people to manage household resources more effectively, plan better for their future and protect themselves against poverty," said Helen Johnston, of the Combat Poverty Agency.
"Without such facilities the cost of managing household resources is higher and more difficult.
"People are more vulnerable to theft and have little protection against unexpected expenditure or loss of income.
"They also face greater difficulties in securing employment given that many employers require employee bank account details to process payrolls, and are more likely to turn to money lenders to access credit in emergencies."
"People on low incomes may also exclude themselves from the banking system. In some cases, this is because they lack the confidence to engage with banks or feel that banks are not interested in poor people. In others it is because they feel that a bank account is unnecessary for managing a low income".
The report highlights the important role played by credit unions and post offices in providing access to savings and affordable credit facilities within disadvantaged communities.
It found people on low incomes tend to be familiar with these institutions and therefore more likely to use their services, but by expanding their facilities to include basic no frills bank accounts and emergency credits the study suggests that these institutions can further contribute to tackling financial exclusion.
The report, the first ever study into financial exclusion in Ireland, explored the issue of financial exclusion in an Irish context and highlights some of the structural barriers that are inhibiting the access to and use of financial services in Ireland.
The Financial Regulator supported the project by establishing a Stakeholder Forum representing financial institutions and government departments through which issues arising in the research could be presented and discussed.
PA