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Thu, 14 May 2026

Thu, 14 May 2026 Woman in bank row over depositing £900 HMRC cheque

Annabel Yates says she faces a 94 mile round trip to bank a cheque because of changes at Lloyds.
A Cornish woman, Annabel Yates, has called on Lloyds Banking Group to reconsider its policy after she was unable to deposit a £900 HMRC cheque due to its non-perforated edges. She claimed that the bank's reliance on digital services disproportionately affects rural communities. Yates said that she had to travel 94 miles to a branch in Truro, citing that the freepost option and app-based services are not suitable for large amounts of money or areas with poor internet connectivity. Lloyds Banking Group stated that cheque usage has been declining, accounting for only 0.1% of UK payments in 2024. However, local postmistress Joanna Bickersteth contradicted this claim, saying that cheques are still widely used and the loss of the Post Office service has reduced facilities available to customers. A HMRC spokesperson suggested that most customers can request a refund via bank transfer or through their app, but Yates argued that this is not always practical for large amounts. She urged Lloyds to "reconsider their policy" and consider the needs of rural communities.