Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Access to Benefits: Post Offices

Monday 14 September 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • 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 could access benefit payments during lockdown.
  • 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 after the closure of the Post Office card account.
  • There is also the ability to open a basic bank account, which can be used to access benefit or pension payments at a post office.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Martyn Day SNP
Business & Trade Benefits & Welfare
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Guy Opperman

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: 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.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Martyn Day SNP
Benefits & Welfare
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Guy Opperman

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: 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.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email