In particular 12 have checkbook or card payment

In nearly ten years, the French poor access to banking services strongly increased. This is the rather encouraging realization by the Credoc study conducted on behalf of the Advisory Committee of the financial sector (CfSC), in partnership with the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. 2.597 households were interviewed on this occasion, including 1.792 in precarious financial situation. The result is a particularly full State of places of the French banking practices.

Overall, financial services became more accessible to the most vulnerable households. Thus, between 2001 - date of the last study on the subject minimum social beneficiaries - and 2009, les allocataires de minima sociaux access to the deposit account is increased from 92 to 96, compared to 99 for the general population. Their rate of possession of books and other passbooks available rose to 61, 45 in 2001. Similarly, 68 of recipients held a checkbook in 2009 (compared to 59 in 2001) and 80 a payment card (against 39). The increase in the rate of detention of cards comes primarily from the development of maps to immediate debit, majority with systematic authorization, says the study.

Finally, access to bank credit for the poor has also improved. The share of recipients with at least a credit increased from 16 in 2001 to 24 in 2009. "This increase is mainly due to the increase in the detention of credit consumption (from 13 to 21) and in particular personal loan (from 5 to 13). ", said the study. The share of recipients with a revolving credit has little changed (8) such as experiencing repayment difficulties (21).

So far, "households in poverty remain fewer than all households to have access to different banking services, and in particular, savings accounts and the means of payment", underlines the Credoc. In particular, 12 have checkbook or card payment. This is particularly true among the household reference person is more 65 years of age (17) or only persons unemployed (21). Similarly, poor households are less numerous (31) than the whole (51) to borrow. "This difference was observed on all types of credits, except on credits renewable, also common among the poor population (10) than among all households (10)" ", said the study. Finally, 11 of the poorest households enrolled in the central file of cheques or payment incidents, or 2 of the total population. Study highlights however the satisfaction of the poorest clients to their institution that even if she has eroded since 2001 (80 against 92) still remains high.

"Control the risks."

With all these findings, and at the request of Christine Lagarde, the Minister of economy and finance, the Credoc and the CfSC should propose by the summer of measures "to improve access to banking services of households in poverty". Several tracks are already mentioned: the specific situation of access to banking services for the unemployed, education for the Bank-client relationship and the strengthening of the information. The study shows that between 5 and 10 of poor households did not voluntarily using different banking services, including, the cheque or payment card. By caution, but may also by lack of understanding of their functioning. "Communication could then focus on the cost of the various means of payment, their advantages and disadvantages, flow time, and the terms of use to control risk of discovered they can induce", suggests the Credoc. A track that should join the work of Georges Pauget and Emmanuel Constans (CfSC) on bank rates.

Find the full study on lesechos.frlesechos.fr