AIB CUSTOMERS are facing increased banking charges from the end of August, under a new fee structure to be confirmed by the bank tomorrow.

The changes include a 75 per cent increase in the fees paid by personal customers for ATM withdrawals.

Confirming the new fee structure to TheJournal.ie this evening, AIB said the revised fees and charges would hit each personal account holder by about 75c a month.

However, customers who make regular trips into a branch or to an ATM will take a significantly higher hit, as the bank tries to encourage customers to move to cheaper, less labour-intensive banking options.

Only customers who have student, graduate, or 0ver-60s accounts – or who are able to keep their balance above €2,500 for an entire quarter – will be able to avoid the new fee structure.

• The cost of an ATM withdrawal, or an automated cheque and cash lodgement, will go from 20c to 35c
• The fee charged for staff-assisted transactions goes from 30c to 39c.
• There’ll be a 39c charge for an incoming credit transfer - again, increased from 30c
• Customers will be charged 20c to process each each paper-based non-cash lodgement, such as a cheque or bank draft
• Customers will be charged €3 to send a domestic bank draft, up from €1.90, and €7 to send a draft in a foreign currency – a 37 per cent increase from the current rate of €4.44
• The €2.54-per-page charge for a duplicate bank statement will also rise, to €3 per page.

In addition, from September 14 customers will be charged €4.50 to set up a manual standing order, and €2.50 to amend or cancel that order – though customers can still set up those payments online for free.

Business accounts will also become liable for the maintenance fee of €4.50 which is already paid by personal customers, as well as facing a series of increase in other transaction fees.

“These changes are driven by the need to ensure cost recovery across all AIB businesses, including money transmission services, the costs of which are significant and currently loss-making to the bank,” AIB said in a statement.

Its director of products Fergus Murphy said the bank – which is 99.8 per cent owned by the taxpayer – recognised the impact that the changes woudl have.

“Unfortunately we have no option but to ensure that the bank is covering costs on the services it provides,” he said.

AIB has published a pamphlet outlining the changes, which includes some advice to customers on how to minimise their exposure to charges. You can read that pamphlet in PDF format here.

Read: Bank of Ireland is changing its fees for current accounts

Plus: Ulster Bank drops free banking with €4 monthly charge for current accounts