Lloyds Bank strengthens support for vulnerable and older customers with new Trusted Person Card
Lloyds Bank has taken a further step in its ongoing support for customers, by developing a new Trusted Person Card. Launching at the end of this month, the card will make it easier for friends, family and carers to help those who need additional help to make everyday purchases and access cash.
The new feature will give those who find it difficult to purchase groceries and essential goods – perhaps because of health concerns, shielding or lockdown – the ability to apply for a separate debit card for their account. This will enable a trusted person to make purchases in shops, or withdraw cash, for the account holder, without sharing the primary card or other confidential account details.
The card’s launch is a direct response to feedback from some customers, who have said that making everyday purchases can be difficult at times, even more so recently for those shielding. Customers are also aware of the fraud risks involved in sharing their own debit card details, and want a more sustainable solution for family, friends or a trusted person to be able to help out safely.
Simple and safe
The main account holder will retain full control of the account, will be able to cancel the additional card at any time, and keep track of how it is being used;
All transactions made using the card will be shown on the customer’s account statement
The card has a weekly spending limit of £100 and a weekly cash withdrawal limit of £100
The card will not be able to make purchases online, abroad, or over the phone
To help further protect the account holder, the trusted person will not be able to access the account or any details in any service channel
The account holder’s sort code and account number will not be printed on the card
The card will have a different card number and PIN to the customer’s existing debit card
Philip Robinson, Director of Personal Current Accounts, Lloyds Bank said: “We understand that for some, getting out and about isn’t always straightforward, and lockdown and shielding restrictions mean that many of our customers are relying on others to help them with groceries and picking up essentials. We’ve developed the Trusted Person Card to make sure that there is a straightforward and, crucially, secure way to ask family, friends and carers for help.”
The new card will be made available to the most vulnerable customers of Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland and is a secondary card, attached to the customer’s main current account. The product will be launching at the end of the month when a specialised telephone service team will begin to proactively identify customers who have a need for the card.
Supporting customers through the pandemic
The Trusted Person Card is the latest supportive measure Lloyds Bank has introduced to help customers through the pandemic. The Bank also launched the ‘trusted person service’ in March, which provides a way for customers who find it more difficult to leave their home, or who don’t bank digitally, to manage their accounts. Customers can ask a trusted person to visit a Lloyds Bank branch and speak to colleagues (providing suitable ID to confirm who they are, such as a passport, or photo driving licence). The branch will then phone the customer – using the number held on the account record – to make sure they know this person and agree that they can act on their behalf. Earlier this year, the Bank also launched a dedicated helpline for customers aged over 70 and NHS workers, and has been proactively calling vulnerable and older customers, or those with additional needs, to check in and offer support. The Bank has now made over 600,000 of these wellbeing calls and received over 440,000 calls to the dedicated helplines.
In April, a new partnership was announced with We Are Digital, to provide vulnerable customers with access to free and practical support, on getting connected and staying safe online. This includes helping people with everyday digital tasks such as online shopping and speaking to family and friends. The partnership is also delivering 2000 tablets to over 70s, who do not currently have a suitable device to access the internet.
Lloyds Bank also offers widespread visual and auditory support for customers in branch, online, and through our mobile apps. This includes – but is not limited to – alternate format statements (Braille, large print, optional colours); magnification and voice over features in our mobile apps; touch-talk, and BSL or lip reading interpreters.
Priority Health and Cigna form strategic alliance to make quality health care more affordable and accessible for Michigan employers and customers
Priority Health and Cigna (NYSE: CI) announced they have formed a Strategic Alliance and will partner to make comprehensive health care coverage more affordable and accessible to Michigan employers, their employees and families.
This new Strategic Alliance will offer a competitive network solution for employer groups in the state, leveraging the best capabilities of each organization and the strength of their provider relationships. Starting January 1, 2021:
Cigna clients and customers will have access to Priority Health’s comprehensive network of high-quality providers, which includes 97 percent of primary care physicians in Michigan, a wide variety of specialists and access to the vast majority of hospitals, labs and ancillary care services in the state.
Priority Health members who live, work, or travel outside of Priority Health’s service area will have access to Cigna’s national network of quality doctors, specialists, hospitals, labs and facilities around the country.
The Strategic Alliance will make it simpler for customers to find in-network providers and navigate their health care experience in Michigan and around the country.
Clients and providers will benefit from innovative programs and improved analytics that make health care more predictable.
“We are excited to bring this expanded Cigna partnership into market, which offers a competitive network solution and highlights our shared capabilities for more affordable, comprehensive health care coverage that best serves employers, their employees, and their families,” said Rick V. Morrone, Senior Vice President Employer Solutions for Priority Health. “Our team is continuously looking for ways to provide more value, and this enhanced, Strategic Alliance with a trusted partner is a natural next step.”
Priority Health and Cigna have worked together since 2018 to provide competitive network solutions for Michigan employers that have a national footprint, which continues to be an area of growth for Priority Health. Building upon the success of the existing agreement and the strength of their partnership, the organizations are now taking a more coordinated approach, leading to a more consistent and streamlined network experience for Cigna members in the state of Michigan and Priority Health’s out-of-state members.
“This Strategic Alliance with one of the fastest growing networks in the state will give greater choice to employers, and will help us achieve our goals of improving whole person health, and providing access to more affordable, predictable and simple health care for our Michigan clients and customers,” said Brian Marsella, Midwest market president for Cigna. “Working together in partnership, we will also focus on improving community health in Michigan.”
Both Priority Health and Cigna will continue to work with Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP) to provide network access in the Upper Peninsula region in Michigan.
Halifax introduces new card freeze options for credit card customers
Halifax customers now have a greater range of options to control where and how they use their credit card.
From today customers will be able to access ‘card freeze’ through their mobile app, allowing them to stop their credit card being used in a number of different ways.
Flexible and dynamic, Card Freeze lets customers choose which types of transactions are allowed from their Halifax app. Customers who may have mislaid their card, at home or abroad, can simply “freeze card” transactions. Once they find it, they can just “unfreeze” with ease.
Customers can also exercise greater control over any additional cards, avoiding unexpected spending sprees and choosing which transactions can or can’t be made on all cards linked to their account, including online purchases.
These new options are in addition to the control services introduced for debit cards in August 2018, which allow debit card customers to freeze usage abroad, online and remote, and freeze at tills or terminals.
Customers will see information pop-up on how to make use of the new functionality when they log in to their mobile app. These features are easy to use, simply “switching” on or off the buttons in the card management area of their mobile app.
Freeze card: Stops all card based transactions
Freeze abroad: Stops all point of sale transactions and ATM withdrawals outside of the UK
Freeze online and remote: Stops all transactions where the card is not physically present
Freeze at tills and terminals: Stops transactions where the card is present
Freeze at cash machine: Stops cash machine withdrawals
Elyn Corfield, Managing Director Consumer Finance, says: “Through our new mobile banking app functionality, Halifax customers can enjoy greater confidence that their cards are safe and now have more options to manage their day to day finances through freezing and unfreezing spending on their credit card, giving them extra peace of mind.”