# Accessible Credit Card Guidelines UK Finance Has Launched a New Accessible Cards Code of Practice By Kalin Ned | Published 2026-04-03 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessible-cards-code References: [credit-connect](https://www.credit-connect.co.uk/news/new-accessibility-guidelines-launched-for-payment-cards/)  UK Finance's Accessible Cards Code of Practice establishes the world's first national common accessibility guidelines for flat printed payment cards. This document was developed in collaboration with the [Royal National Institute of Blind People](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/christmas-food-magazine), the [British Dyslexia Association](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/british-airways-1), and industry partners including [Mastercard](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/touch-cards), Visa, and Idemia. The Accessible Cards Code of Practice guidelines introduce physical notches or indents that allow customers to identify card type by touch alone — a round notch for debit cards, a square notch for credit cards, and a triangular notch for prepaid or savings cards. These tactile elements are enhanced by standards for colour contrast and the legibility of printed words and numbers. While the Code is voluntary, at least ten participating firms — which represent 80% of the card issuing market — have committed to using it, with cards expected to roll out by the first half of the following year. Image Credit: UK Finance ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 34% | Activity: 42% | Freshness: 71% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Social Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialbusiness) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Tactile Card Design:** New tactile features such as notches create opportunities for alternative physical authentication methods and differentiation in low-tech payment interfaces. - **Inclusive Payment Standards:** Standardized guidelines for contrast and legibility enable development of universally compatible card production processes and compliance tools. - **Voluntary Industry Adoption:** Broad commitment by major issuers to a non-mandatory code signals a market-driven pathway for accessibility-driven product lines and certification services. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Card Manufacturing:** Evolving physical card specifications present demand for specialized embossing, tooling, and materials that integrate tactile and high-contrast printing at scale. - **Payment Network Providers:** Networks and scheme partners can incorporate accessibility metadata and routing considerations that distinguish accessible product offerings across ecosystems. - **Assistive Technology Services:** Assistive tech vendors stand to expand into card-recognition solutions and multimodal interfaces that complement tactile cues for visually impaired users. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Accessibility-Focused Financial Application Prototypes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-nemo.md) - [Accessibility-Focused POS Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/payment-terminal-solutions.md) - [GenAI Card Design Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mastercard-ai-card-design-studio.md) - [Accessibility-Focused Retail Coalitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/access-coalition.md) - [Publicly Owned Train Operators](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessibility-roadmap.md) - [Accessibility-Focused Digital Ticketing Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/digital-ticketing-platform.md) - [Accessibile Banking Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cadence-bank.md) - [Accessibility-Focused Evaluation Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessibility-scores.md) - [Public Accessibility Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/for-your-convenience.md)