# Cheque guarantee cards could return, says Payments Council

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/11/16/cheque-guarantee-cards-could-return-says-payments-council/
- Published: 2011-11-16T19:14:27+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

After the Commons Treasury Committee report in August said there was a case for 
bringing back a form of cheque guarantee card, the Payments Council has said it 
is neither ruling the scheme in or out. It is, however, looking at whether shops
and others were less likely to accept cheques since the abolition of the cheque 
guarantee card earlier this year.

The Institute of Fundraising maintains there is a need to continue to protect the
cheque as a method of payment. Time and money need to be invested to research new
alternatives, to stop cheques ‘withering on the vine’ as a payment form, the Institute
said in a response to coincide with the Treasury Committee published report.

The Institute agrees with the report’s findings that the reintroduction of the cheque
guarantee card should be considered, or else an alternative mechanism ought to be
found to ensure cheques can still be accepted as a payment form.

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Director of policy and campaigns at the IoF Louise Richards commented: “It was never
right for the planned phasing out of the cheque to be allowed to progress so far
without taking into account the legitimate concerns of key stakeholders, such as
charities and charity donors. This is an issue with many far-reaching implications
which needs careful consideration.”

The Payments Council’s review of the abolition of the scheme will publish its results
by the end of the year. However, it said that many retailers had stopped accepting
cheques, not because of the end of the guarantee scheme, but because customers no
longer used cheque books.

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