Payment systems describe the way in which we pay for things: from online transactions to cash in shops. Some people may be able to pay up front for a purchase, for example, an annual insurance premium, while others will make payments over a period of time. Some people will set up a payment process with their bank to pay some suppliers, like a direct debit for utility bills, while others will make top-up payments for their purchases, like on a pay-as-you-go phone.

We all need to pay for things, but payment systems for essential goods and services have not been designed with the needs of people in poverty in mind. This report highlights the challenges faced by people on low incomes when they pay for products and services that we all need.

Published in May 2023 by Fair By Design.