Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to continue to pay benefits and pensions into Post Office card accounts until 2021.

In 2014 Government committed to maintain POca until at least 2021, to ensure that people who cannot use a mainstream account can continue to access their benefits and pensions.

Government’s existing POca contract with the Post Office, which expires in November 2021, has an option to be extended for up to 3 years to 2024. A decision on any extension will be taken at the appropriate time, informed by both customers’ needs and the need to make sure the taxpayer sees Value for Money.