Payments divide

 

Last week’s infrastructure collapse by NatWest/RBS brought into focus our increasing reliance on technology to support payments.

Many thousands found themselves embarrassed in petrol stations and supermarkets, finding their credit and debit card’s refused. Online banking systems failed and consumers hit to social media to vent anger.

The way we pay for goods and services is hardly the sexiest topic we at ILC-UK are lucky enough to explore. But as we saw last week, it is all too easy to become complacent about what is a fundamentally important part of our economy.

Why do we care?

The recent Payments Markets Review by the Payments Council suggests a stalling in the long-term decline in the use of cash. While the volume of cash payments fell steadily up until 2010, it has increased slightly since then. But the long-term decline in cash use is expected to continue. By 2015 there will be more non-cash payments than cash payments. And by 2022 there may be more payments by debit card than by cash.

The evidence from the Payments Council shows a divergence by age group in how people pay for goods and services. We have witnessed a decline in cheque use over the past two decades or so, but whilst around one in twenty 16-24 year olds used a cheque in 2012, almost 7 in ten over 65s did. 16-24 year olds wrote around 3 cheques on average in 2012, compared to the over 65s who used them over 18 times.

Internet banking use by age also varies significantly. Around 70% of 25-34 year olds made internet banking payments in 2012, but just over 30% of over 55’s did. People aged over 65 made just over two remote payments on average in 2012 (that is, payments made using internet, telephone and mobile banking), whilst those aged 25-34 made around 12 on average.

A recent trend is the growth in mobile banking. This, too, shows a divergence in use by age but the service has not been around for long. A very small percentage of over 55s use mobile banking for payments compared to almost one third of 16-24 year olds.

Whilst a few percent of 25-34 year olds don’t use cashpoints, around 1 in 4 over 65s don’t. 25-34 year olds made over 70 ATM transactions in 2012 whilst those over 65 made less than 40 on average.

Why do our methods of payment vary by age?

On the one hand, younger people may be more likely to buy products and services (e.g. online subscription services) that can only be paid for using electronic payments.

And there are undoubtedly a small number of payments made by older people where cheque and cash payments are more convenient. Older housebound people are often reliant on cheques and cash and there may be no convenient alternatives. Research on financial exclusion (NB link opens pdf) has shown that people on a low fixed income perceive themselves to be more in control when managing money in cash than electronically.

But these are the exceptions and a huge number of transactions being paid for in cash by older people could potentially be paid for by cash and cheque. The new figures from the Payments Council reveal that 145 million of 485 million cheque payments are for purchases in the retail, travel, and entertainment sectors. A high proportion of these payments could potentially be made using other means of payment.

There is also likely to be a cohort effect, with some older people using cheques because they always have and younger people moving into new technology for payments.

What can we do?

The introduction of Chip and Pin by the industry helped raise the awareness in the industry of the diversity of their consumer base. Research showed that the hundreds of thousands of people living in the community with dementia might struggle with pin numbers. And criticisms from charities let to a recognition within the industry of the importance of ensuring more usable and accessible chip and pin machines. The industry responded with better designed machines and an exceptions service for those who couldn’t use Chip and Pin.

But if the trend away from cash payments is to continue, the industry must ensure that its products and services are as accessible, usable and well promoted as possible.

Information and advice is also vital. People of all ages need to understand how new technology works. An investment in financial education across the life-course is vital. There will be a link between payments exclusion and digital exclusion. If we are to get more older people using new methods of payment, we must invest much more in tackling digital exclusion.

To the credit of the Payments Council, they have done a lot of work on these issues. They have sought to better promote Chip and Pin and have tried to invest in materials to help individuals make the move from cash. They have also invested in research to better understand the older and disabled consumer.

But the payments divide will not just simply disappear. The growth in mobile payments highlight a new divide whilst the digital divide remains significant. As Nat West customers found this week, not being able to pay for what you want can be inconvenient and embarrassing. It can also have much more serious repercussions, contributing, for example to social exclusion. Payments might not be the sexiest subject for ILC-UK but policymakers, industry and regulators must not fall into complacency.

David Sinclair

First published at www.ilcuk.org.uk

New figures in this blog were provided by the Payments Council to the Payments Council Consumer Forum. Some of the information is available in this Payments Council report on Payment Trends http://www.paymentscouncil.org.uk/files/payments_council/statistical_publications/the_way_we_pay_-_february_2013.pdf.

Europe’s economy needs more older workers

 

Europe faces significant labour market gaps as a result of demographic change. In the UK alone there are 13.5 million job vacancies, which need to be filled over the next ten years. But only seven million young people are projected to leave school and college over that time.

Despite a growth in the number of older workers since the 1990s, the EU is still failing to meet its target set in 2001 to achieve 50% employment rate of older workers by 2010. Over the period 2002-2008, the average age of labour market withdrawal among the EU-28 had only increased by an estimated 1.3 years, from 60.1 to 61.4.

And whilst the employment levels of older workers has increased over the past decade by 10% there is significant variation across Europe. Just 13% of Hungarians aged 60-64 were in work in 2010 compared to over 60% of Swedes.

Our recent report, Working Longer, An EU perspective highlights interesting initiatives seeking to promote extended working lives from across Europe. For example.

§ Changes since 2006 in Sweden offer more favourable treatment for work related income than pension income.

§ Reforms in Croatia have meant that those who retire early are now subject to between a 0.15% and 0.34% loss every month in the value of their pension. In contrast, people who delay retirement are entitled to a 0.15% monthly increase in the value of their pension.

§ France has introduced a gradual retirement scheme, which allows workers to reduce their working hours on reaching 60 (62 in 2017) and receive a proportion of their pension in return.

§ A Portuguese New Opportunities Initiative gives preferential access for older people to lifelong learning.

§ The Finnish government has invested in the KESTO-program built up a database for research on extending working life.

Not all of these initiatives will work in every country and our analysis suggests a need for greater understanding of “what works”. Government initiatives to support older workers are often poorly evaluated for effectiveness. As a result it is difficult to “learn from the best”.

Older people have not been exempt from the impact of the recession. Governments have removed incentives to early retirement within pension schemes which has resulted in greater numbers being active in the labour market, but unemployed. Across Europe, a relatively high proportion of unemployed 55-64 year olds have not worked for 12 months or more.

In every EU Member State, the life expectancy of women is higher than that of men, by 5.9 years on average. Yet despite living longer across the EU, women participate less in the labour market and retire earlier.

Our report highlighted the need to do more to up-skill the older workforce across Europe. The current cohort of older workers in Europe have low levels of education and qualifications compared to younger groups.

It’s not just having a skilled workforce which is an issue. European policymakers must focus energies on creating the sort of jobs which European citizens want to do. There has been inadequate focus on the extent to which Europe’s economy has been creating the right sort of jobs to meet the needs and wishes of the supply of older workers.

One of the biggest challenges facing the working longer agenda is poor health of older workers. However, our analysis found relatively few initiatives by governments or employers to explicitly improve the health of older workers.

The EU has led the way in delivering legislation to tackle age discrimination in the workforce. But we must ensure the legislation is properly implemented. We must also monitor whether the legislation has tackled negative attitudes towards older workers.

On the one hand, the message is positive, participation in the labour force by older workers is up. But it is only moving up slowly. Those EU economies which take steps now to maximise the potential of older workers, are likely to see significant economic return on their investment.

David Sinclair

Working Longer: An EU perspective, supported by Prudential, explores how the EU and its 28 members have responded to the working longer agenda. It is available on the ILC-UK website at www.ilcuk.org.uk

Immune response

 

My presentation from this week’s launch of the ILC-UK report on adult immunisation is now on slideshare.

19Nov13 Immune Response - David Sinclair from ILC- UK

SAATI launch

 

I’ve been in Brussels for the day. For the launch of the SAATI report.

 

It was a good event. Having been involved for almost three years it was great to see the report come to fruition.

Outside the European Parliament, the homeless of Brussels use the Berlin Wall to store their blankets.

 

It was 20 degrees. In November. In Brussels.

Advice in an ageing society

 

I spoke at a conference in Leeds for Money Marketing last Thursday. The event was held at the Village Hotel South which is officially bloody miles from Leeds.

And the Leeds taxi drivers do enjoy very hot temperatures in their cabs.

I got an upgrade on the room so had Starbucks coffee and Sky Movies. Which was nice.

I’ve spoken at the hotel before – on the memorable speaking tour for a hearing aid company in 2011.

It was a nice excuse to get to see Mr Hopkins and family who live in Leeds.

Advice in an ageing society - Money marketing conference from ILC- UK

Fireworks at BRTFC

 

We popped to the fireworks at Bognor Regis FC. It was fun.

    

Car boot sales

 

I cycled to the car boot sale at Fontwell only to discover it wasnt on. Then went on to Ford where I met up with Michelle and George.

ten minutes

 

Not a bad place to sit and watch for 10 minutes when early for a meeting.

Bristol in a day

 

Another early flight. This time Edinburgh to Bristol, for the third of our face to face meetings with PFRC at Bristol University. ILC-UK are working with PFRC on an ESRC funded project on financial wellbeing in later life.

The project has been going really well (if i say so myself). We’ve already published work on mortgage debt and understanding the oldest old. We’ve got more work coming up on segmenting the older consumer, debt and financial satisfaction across the world. Bristol are doing most of the research and we are doing the dissemination and policy analysis.

We’ve had lots of press coverage for the project so far. And I recorded a podcast for ESRC/Understanding Society. Which you can find here.

There is lots of information about the project on the PRFC and ILC-UK website.

We discussed plans for the final launch events as well as academic dissemination. And Bristol took us out for a really nice lunch. Fennel and blue cheese tarte tatin to start and Quinoir and pumpkin for main.

When I got home I popped for a little  jog. Very pleased to do it as I really didn’t want to go out. The divergence on my circuit below due to me forgetting to pick up milk on the way home.

A day in Edinburgh

 

Six reasons I like visiting Edinburgh

• The early flight from Gatwick does inevitably mean waking up at a silly hour and not sleeping properly the night before. But the first BA flight still has a hot breakfast. One of the only domestic flights with a hot meal.
• There is something something special about Edinburgh. I don’t know what. Just something. (That said, its also a bit dull and the weather can be terrible)
• You can walk places. Last night I walked to Cath O’Shea’s house and met her 8 month old baby, Ellie.
• People are very friendly
• There is no sense of irony about pointing me towards Greggs for lunch after me presenting about healthy ageing.
• Look at the sort of venues I get to speak in. Brilliant buildings.

ESRC Festival of Science

 

Today I am in Edinburgh speaking at the ESRC Festival of Science event organised by Edinburgh University at the Dome.

I’ve done far too many slides so will rush over most of them.

This is (sort of) what I plan to say

How should policymakers respond to the new challenges and opportunities of ageing in Scotland from ILC- UK

Bognor to Littlehampton

 

Today I cycled with Bognor and Chichester CTC to Littlehampton. I left early so I could get a coffee from Caffe Nero in Chichester before the ride started. There were lots of people riding today. Stopped near the windmill in Barnham for 11s. And had some Spiced Pumpkin and Apple soup in Littlehampton. Managed over 50km and avoided rain for most of the ride.

When I got back home I went to the Picturedrome with George to watch Cloudy with a chance of meatballs 2.

Great South Run

 

I ran the Great South Run. Slower than last year. It was very windy but fortunately not too rainy (other than a brief shower and storm just as I was starting). I was please that my time was consistent throughout the run.

On Saturday George and I ran the mini Great South Run.

This was the route for the mini Great South Run:

And this was the route for the Great South Run

CTC Bognor and Chichester AGM

 

My first Bognor and Chichester CTC AGM. Held in a very small community hall in West Stoke.

And here is the route I took:

I’m in City AM

 

I have to say, I don’t disagree with Ros Altmann. But I was making a slightly different point. I think the newspaper struggled to find someone to defend the insurance industry.

Bognor to Littlehampton

 

From the cafe at Littlehampton we were just 5 miles from Bognor but 3457 miles from New York and 7863 miles from the Falkland Islands.

The Sparks Depository in Littlehampton is apparently where the Body Shop started.

You can see the Castle in the distance. If you look very closely.

And a nice view from the top of the lookout.

We came back along the beach. It was pretty stony so we had to get off and walk a few times.

#glasto – Greenpeace Field

 

Breakfast coffee in a cider mug.

The bees

And the cider

 

The Greenpeace field

 

The mermaid.

 

And the garden.

#Glasto The North End

 

One year I’d like to stay in a tipi.

#glasto No Chopsticks

 

Green fields

Or the “field of lies” (M Brigstock)

 

 

You can make stuff.

But NO CHOPSTICKS.

Tipi field.