A qualitative study on the use of the unified payments interface (UPI) by urban poor households

Purpose This study aims to examine the financial status and user characteristics of the urban poor in Pune, Maharashtra. It also seeks to understand their perceptions of mobile payment applications and explore how such platforms contribute to financial inclusion. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was adopted using convenience sampling. Data were collected through focus group discussions with residents of Patil Wasti in Balewadi, Pune, representing the urban poor. Findings Participants’ responses were categorised into 11 major themes. Barriers to adopting mobile payment applications include difficulty adapting to digital platforms, lack of financial resources, weak internet connectivity, unavailability of smartphones, illiteracy, and the absence of required documentation. Conversely, factors such as willingness to use digital payments, awareness of mobile banking services, access to bank accounts, acceptance of digital platforms, financial decision-making capacity, and availability of necessary documents encourage the use of the unified payment interface (UPI) and contribute to financial inclusion. Practical implications The results suggest that government bodies and non-governmental organisations should implement targeted literacy and awareness programs to address the challenges faced by the urban poor. This study is significant because it focuses specifically on the use of UPI applications among the urban poor in Pune, an area that has received limited research attention. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique, as no other study has been found specifically related to Pune city in the context of UPI apps.