Submitted by Alex Letovsky on Wednesday 14th January 2026
Published on Thursday 12th February 2026
Current status: Open
Open until: Wednesday 12th August 2026
Current Signatures: 26
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
AUTOMATED ~ Busy ~ Charged ~ Cost ~ Cost-of-living ~ Cost-of-living crisis ~ crisis ~ Cycle ~ Debt ~ Direct ~ Encouraging ~ Failed ~ Fairness ~ Fairs ~ grace ~ Individuals ~ Oversight ~ Payment ~ Prevent ~ Profiteering ~ Reviewed ~ Small businesses ~ Trap ~ Unfair ~ Viewing ~ vulnerability
Cap failed payment fees for individuals and small businesses
Introduce legislation to cap fees associated with declined direct debit and late payments so that do not exceed the administrative cost of handling the late payment. We also call on the Government to require grace periods and fair payment alternatives for those unable to pay.
In our view fees associated with declined or late payments are automated charges that often far exceed the administrative cost of handling the late payment, and disproportionately affect people and small businesses in financial difficulty. We believe that such fees increase arrears, worsen debt, and trap vulnerable customers in a cycle of charges instead of encouraging payment. The Government should review the regulatory oversight of such fees to prevent these charges being used as a revenue stream. We think that in a cost-of-living crisis, allowing firms to profit from failed payments is unfair and counterproductive.
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.216.219 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:35:01 +0100
