UK banking group Alliance & Leicester (A&L) says the number of bill payments made via its automated BillPay Web site increased by 37% in 2006 and passed the one million mark for the first time.
Graham Long, head of payment services, A&L, says the 2006 figures highlight the growing number of businesses pushing for payments via the Internet.
"The recent addition of credit card acceptance and enhanced user security has broadened the payment options available to clients and increased their confidence in using this popular service," says Long.
A&L's BillPay Web site was launched in July 2000 and over 200 bill issuers now use the service.
Research released by UK payments association Apacs last week showed that the number of bill payments made via the Internet and telephone more than trebled between 2000 and 2005, rising from 36.7 million to 118.1 million.