Credit Management March 2024

CONSUMER CREDIT
ACCESS
ALL AREAS
Building fair accessibility into essential
services is key to improving financial outcomes
for disabled customers
BY PAUL LAMONT
ACCESSIBILITY is something
many of us take for granted,
and something businesses
of all shapes and sizes need
to prioritise. There are 16
million disabled people living
in the UK, which is almost a
quarter of the population (24 percent). For those with
a disability, or in need of specific support, contacting
essential service providers can be challenging. This leaves
millions of people unable to engage with businesses
when needing support or information.
This is not just an isolated issue either. The Financial
Conduct Authority (FCA) estimates that 7.4 million
people have struggled to contact their service providers,
with the most vulnerable in society facing the greatest
challenges.
Research conducted by Experian and Revealing Reality
shows that some of the most significant barriers for
consumers to disclose to their service providers are time
and trust. The time, and stress, of having to engage with
so many different service providers, often requiring long
conversations with call centre staff, and the lack of trust
in the way that information is used means consumers
typically have no transparency in how their information
is used once a disclosure is made.
To address this issue, businesses must take a more
proactive and informed approach to ensure their
services are accessible. To do this, barriers to disclosure
need to be removed so that consumers are empowered to
notify service providers of their reasonable adjustments.
Without this, disabled customers and those with
additional support will, and do, struggle to engage with
essential service providers in a way that suits them best.
The psychological impact
When everyday service providers – like banks, energy
suppliers, mobile companies, or local authorities – fail
to meet a disabled customers’ needs the experience can
be psychologically distressing.
Poor service accessibility can also result in disabled
customers having to disclose sensitive medical
information to the businesses. The process can be
not only frustrating – with the discomfort of having
to disclose private information – but mentally
exhausting. When multiple service providers do not
meet accessibility needs, disabled customers will have
to explain these details – repeatedly.
Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of disabled people
have hesitated to contact essential service providers,
because the process seemed too daunting. The
consequences of these delays mean individuals are
missing vital support and crucial information.
Disabled people wait an average of 82 days before
reaching out to essential service providers. The reasons
behind this delay are extensive, with more than a third
of feeling emotionally drained, 34 percent experiencing
anxiety, and 27 percent left demoralised after interacting
with companies.
The repercussions of these delays are far-reaching,
affecting every aspect of life. Over half (52 percent)
said they would have spent this time resting or sleeping
without anxiety if they could have it back, while 28
percent said their finances had been negatively impacted
due to difficulties in contacting essential services. Yet
just 19 percent have requested support from service
providers, which indicates the scale of the problem.
Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / March 2024 / PAGE 22