Access to Benefits Post Offices
2020-09-14
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about vulnerable people's access to welfare benefits during lockdown. There are approximately 99% of customers who can already use post office branches or ATMs for benefit payments.
What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ensure that vulnerable people have access to welfare benefits through Post Office services?
Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy worked closely with the Post Office to ensure that vulnerable customers were able to access benefit payments during lockdown. It remains the case that at least 99% of customers with a bank, building society, credit union or Post Office card account can already access their benefit or pension payments at post office branches or post office ATMs.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked about specific steps being taken with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ensure vulnerable people's access to benefits through Post Office services. The response provided general information on customer accessibility without addressing the specific coordination between departments.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Approximately 1.23 million people do not have a bank account and the Post Office card account scheme is closing in November next year, affecting an estimated 300,000 vulnerable individuals who rely on it.
Some 1.23 million people do not have a bank account. Given the DWP's decision that new benefits or state pensions will no longer be collected using the Post Office card account, with the scheme officially closing in November next year, how will the Minister ensure that an estimated 300,000 vulnerable people can still access their benefits?
Any customer with a building society or credit union account will be able to continue to access their benefit or pension payments at a post office, even after the closure of the Post Office card account, including all bank accounts. There is also the ability to open a basic bank account, for which assistance can be given.
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Assessment & feedback
The question asked about how vulnerable people without bank accounts will access benefits post-POCA closure specifically. The response provided general information on alternative accounts but did not address the 300,000 vulnerable individuals directly mentioned.
Response accuracy