"This is a breeding ground for increased financial exclusion"

For Asufin, the Association of Financial Users, this generalised policy of increasing commissions is "creating a breeding ground for increased financial exclusion, especially for the most vulnerable consumers, because those customers who don't have enough income are having to pay more for having a bank account and a credit card".

In addition there is another commission which has also gone up, which is the charge for being overdrawn. Although the rates of interest have remained the same, some banks which did not charge a minimum amount have now begun to do so, and the practice has become more widespread as a result.