The Combat Poverty Agency is calling for the establishment of special "no-frills" bank accounts to help address "financial exclusion" among low-income groups.
The agency says that more than 60% of people in the lowest income bracket do not have a current account, compared to just 2.7% of people in the highest income bracket.
The CPA says the promotion of the benefits of electronic payments and a broader range of credit options would help improve these statistics.