Stop the closure of the Post Office card account

11.34.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th Aug 2006

Parliamentary Answers to Danny Alexander, Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, show that each post office branch has an average of up to 355 customers a week collecting their benefits through their Post Office card account. Earlier this year, the Department of Work and Pensions announced that it would not be renewing the contract for the Post Office card account beyond 2010.

Commenting, Mr Alexander MP said

"These figures show that up to nearly 5 million people a week in Great Britain chose to use a Post office card account as a convenient way to collect their state benefits.

"The Government must recognise the true value of our Post Offices as a focal point for many communities when assessing the public services that the Post Offices provide. The Department of Work and Pensions must think again and renew the contract for the card account after 2010."

Cllr Duncan Hames, Liberal Democrats candidate for the new Chippenham constituency, added:

"The Post Office card account is an important part of any Post Office's business - both in itself and in the further custom it brings.

"In deciding not to renew the Post Office card account contract beyond 2010, the Government will not only further weaken the current value of these businesses but also threatens their long term viability by taking away an estimated £1 billion of income."

The National Federation of Subpostmaster has already collected over 2 million signatures on its petition to save the Post Office card account. Completed petition forms should be sent to:

National Federation of SubPostmasters, Evelyn House, 22 Windlesham Gardens, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5AZ.

by the end of September 2006.

Related Link:

[Download the NFSP petition to save the Post Office card account]