Chip & PIN gets approval from the UK’s disabled community

The survey questioned 350 people with a range of disabilities across 11 locations in the UK in February.

They were asked to compare paying for goods by card using an authorising signature with slotting their card and using a PIN number.

On the whole, even the blind or those with mobility or manual dexterity disabilities found inputting a PIN number much easier than signing their name.

One blind respondent said: ‘It would take away the anxiety of the sales assistant questioning your signature. You know your PIN is right.’

Another respondent with mental health problems also welcomed the change, and said: ‘It feels more secure. It gives peace of mind that no-one will fiddle with your credit card.’

However, the report showed that about 10 per cent of respondents are still not sure about switching to the Chip and PIN payment system.

Those that still had the most reservations about Chip and PIN payment, albeit a minority, were the wheelchair-bound, blind people or those that suffered from manual dexterity impairment.

Of this last category, 22 per cent of respondents found inputting a PIN more difficult than signing a receipt.

Respondents with learning difficulties reflected the generally positive attitude towards the change. However, 23 per cent were either fairly unhappy or very unhappy at the end of the trial.

Some of the concerns held by this group include worrying about forgetting the PIN number, finding text instructions difficult to follow or the difficulty of learning something new.

The report noted the importance of training staff being able to demonstrate the procedure to people with physical or learning difficulties with sensitivity.

It said: ‘For those with and impairment such as dyslexia, or the hard of hearing, there was a reticence around making their impairment obvious to others and so retail staff will need to be especially sensitive in providing assistance.’