Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has welcomed the announcement from the Department of Work and Pensions that a new seven-year contract will safeguard the Post Office card account.
The Post Office card account ensures that people without a bank account can receive their pensions and benefits in cash from the Post Office. People with a Post Office card account can withdraw cash and check their balance at any of the Post Office’s 11,500 branches, or by using one of a network of almost 2,500 Post Office ATMs. Around 2.5 million people use the card account, which represents around 15 per cent of all benefit claimants and pensioners.
The previous Post Office card account contract was due to expire in March 2015 which would have led to the withdrawal of the service. The new contract that will safeguard the Post Office card account for pensioners and benefit claimants until at least 2022. This will also help safeguard the future of the Post Office network.
Gavin said: “This announcement is fantastic news for post offices in South Staffordshire, especially those branches that are in rural locations, allowing them to remain open, highlighting to the important role the Post Office continues to play providing access to public services to those who cannot access them readily. It also shows the great strides it has made in its modernisation programme which has allowed them to remain open for service.”