Here’s the press release for it.
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RBS/NatWest have had accessible cards for years upon request. They were a world-first. Holt’s was the first bank to make all its debit cards accessible by design.
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Without sounding too insensitive does it make a big difference?
I get that a notch is alot more obvious but isnt feeling for a notch and feeling for the chip side not similar?
Or is it the seeing the notch missing looks very different for partially sighted people?
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I’d imagine it would. Try it yourself on an unembossed card with your eyes closed. I just tried it on my starling card. I could tell which way round it was, but I had to run my fingers over the whole card, with Transferwise, it was easy to tell which way up and which way round the card was.
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A notch is a bigger physical difference than a smooth chip. It helps more. Anything you can do to help more is always an improvement, accessibility or not.
Think of it like road signs, they’re big and in a clear font to help you see them better, that doesn’t mean you couldn’t read them if they were in Comic Sans. It’s just an improvement that helps everyone.
Plus gloves etc could always stop you feeling the chip, whereas a notch is better.
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Agreed. The threshold should always be ‘what’s the reason not do this?’
Even if it doesn’t make much of a difference to most people, why would not doing it be better?
You’ve answered your own question really. If you get that, why the need to continue the sentence?
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I have no sight problems, but still appreciate the notch on my Transferwise card, as I don’t even have to look at it before putting it in a card reader. So it’s actually a positive design for everyone anyway
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Thanks for the press release.
That makes sense that Holt’s were the first to offer the cards as standard, then, if RBS were the first to develop accessible cards for on-request replacements.
As others have said, in some small ways it’s easier for everyone (trying to insert your card correctly into an ATM in the dark, for example) so no reason not to offer it.
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Ohh im not saying it shouldnt be done, and I agree it should be a standard if proven to be better like you all say “why not”.
But as I have no sight issues myself i was asking if it was purely better to feel for as its more blatantly obvious or is the notch missing also more recognisable (without touching) for partially signted people
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Barclays have offered special high-visibility debit cards to help partially sighted people for years, on request. These come in quite lurid colours to make them stand out, and they have a notch in them.
Also they state that: " Our app has been designed with accessibility in mind, and has been awarded the AbilityNet Accessibility kite mark. This means it’s compatible with most accessibility features, like inverting screen colours on your device and voiceover technology."
You can feel a notch just by picking your card up. With the chip you have to run your fingers all the way over the surface until you can find it.
If you have sensitivity problems with your fingers you may not be able to feel a chip, but you’d still be able to notice a notch.
I’m of the opinion that there’s no reason to not have a notch in all bank cards by design, as it doesn’t disadvantage any customer any.
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Bring back the Mint card!
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My brand new shiny Virgin Money card has a notch.
Simply put, it’s the end you don’t shove in the machine 
The most noticeable notch is on the Beefeater loyalty card 
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It indeed does and it’s quite nice, or will be if I get a #RidgeWallet
At those prices, no thanks 
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I know, it’s like $78 for a wallet!
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I think i paid something along that line for my Bellroy Wallet and never changed 
. The ridge wallet looks fancy but not my style 
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I was thinking that, but didn’t want to jump in too soon and wasn’t at my PC today
Thinking everything on this topic in last couple of days pretty much
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The thread has certainly drifted at times from the subject header.