Which? says banking online does not suit everyone Banks have been urged to provide online access inside branches to help avoid “digitally excluded” customers missing out on the best deals.
A report from Which? magazine said online savers on average earned 37% more interest than those who only had branch-based accounts.
And it said travel insurance was up to 355% more expensive to buy in person.
The British Bankers’ Association said banks reserved the right to offer the best deals where they could.
Which? said branch-based instant access accounts paid 0.65% a year on average compared to 1.14% for web savers.
Investors could get a one-year fixed-rate bond at an average of 2.58% over the internet, but just 2.34% in a branch.
Interest rates for online Isas averaged 1.84%, which fell to 1.53% for branch-based products.
Government figures suggest that up to four million people are “digitally excluded”, meaning they do not have or cannot afford internet access.
Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said: “Not everyone is comfortable or able to manage their finances online and these people are missing out on the best deals as a result.
“Banks should be more inclusive by offering terminals in branches where customers could access online deals, with some help from staff.”
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