Proposal to stop accepting cheques consultation

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This consultation has now closed.

Have your say on the council’s proposal to stop accepting cheques as a payment method

The council is consulting on whether to stop accepting cheques as a payment method. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of cheques received are low and incur high processing costs. The council’s banking partner will no longer be accepting cheques directly, meaning even higher costs and less value for money to residents.


What we are proposing

We are proposing that from 31 March, we will no longer accept cheques as a payment method to the council. A number of other payment methods exist, with residents

Have your say on the council’s proposal to stop accepting cheques as a payment method

The council is consulting on whether to stop accepting cheques as a payment method. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of cheques received are low and incur high processing costs. The council’s banking partner will no longer be accepting cheques directly, meaning even higher costs and less value for money to residents.


What we are proposing

We are proposing that from 31 March, we will no longer accept cheques as a payment method to the council. A number of other payment methods exist, with residents able to pay the council by BACS, online payment, direct debit, internet banking, telephone banking and through Paypoint outlets.

We want to use this consultation to identify any residents who might not be able to use these payment methods and why. This will inform our decision and allow us to provide targeted support to allow them to pay in a way that is as convenient and as easy as possible.


Your views are important to us

We want to hear your views on our proposals, in particular we want to hear from those residents who regularly use cheques. We will be contacting them directly to ensure we capture their views.


How to have your say

We are keen to hear your views on our proposals and encourage you to have your say by completing our online questionnaire.

If you would like to request a paper questionnaire or another format please:

  • email Joshua.Henry@Barnet.gov.uk or telephone 020 8359 7043
  • alternatively you can write to us at Joshua Henry, London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, London, NW9 4EW.

If you would like someone to help you complete the questionnaire or need more information, please contact us using one of the above methods.


What happens after the consultation closes?

The council will use the consultation findings to inform our final decision. We will publish the results of the consultation, our decision and how we are acting on the results of the consultation on this web page in spring 2023.


This consultation has now closed.

  • We asked, you said, we did

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    We asked

    We asked for your views on our proposal to stop accepting cheques as a payment method. We wrote to 638 residents who had paid the council by cheque since April 2022, to ask them for their views, as well as carrying out an online questionnaire.

    You said

    The percentage of cheque users who responded saying they strongly opposed the proposal was around 15%, with a further 1% tending to oppose it. This consultation also captured reasons why people preferred to pay by cheque, with all cheque users since April 2022 subsequently sent guidance on how to switch their payment method based on these responses.

    We did

    The council has made the decision to stop accepting cheques as a payment method.

    If you need support moving to an alternative payment method, please get in touch with the relevant team. Contact details will be on the bill or invoice you are paying.