AN avenues pensioner who says the phasing out of cheques will disproportionately hit the elderly and the handicapped, is urging people to join her and petition East Devon MP Hugo Swire and the treasury.

AN avenues pensioner who says the phasing out of cheques will disproportionately hit the elderly and the handicapped, is urging people to join her and petition East Devon MP Hugo Swire and the treasury.

Yvonne Wardrop, of Douglas Avenue, says she can fully 'understand the economic argument' for stopping the use of cheques as payment.

But she added, like the closing of smaller Post offices, it was yet another example of banks, institutions, businesses and the Government failing to consider the knock-on effects of policy decisions.

She said: "They affect the elderly and the handicapped. This section of society is dependent upon people coming to their homes to provide service or to deliver at the door and the choice of payment is either cash or cheque.

"I am thinking of the home cleaner, the gardener and the window cleaner. All of who are usually small business people."

She said there were already problems for the housebound in getting cash to pay for services while some elderly or vulnerable people do not like keeping cash in their homes.

She added: "The drive towards a total cash-less society using electronic money transfers excludes a substantial and vulnerable section of society.

"Please write to our MP and to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to remind them of the consequences of this decision.

"We may not be able to turn the tide, but perhaps a compromise may be made as a result of our protests.