For Catholics concerned with social justice, the stakes are clear – those on the margins should not be excluded from financial dignity and independence.

Cash is no longer king. The financial landscape is shifting at a breakneck pace. In 2008, cash accounted for more than 60 per cent of transactions; by 2023, that figure had fallen to around 12 per cent. Digital wallets and app-based banking are simply how money now works. The pace of change has left many older people behind, forcing them to adapt to systems never designed with their needs in mind. Around 16 million in the UK – almost one in four – live with a disability, a figure that rises further when neurodiversity, poor mental health, and people with learning difficulties are included. Fraudsters are increasingly targeting vulnerable customers, exploiting confusion, isolation or reduced capacity as banking moves online and high-street branches vanish.

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