Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 October 2017 to Question 108977, what estimate his Department has made of the numbers of people claiming state pension who cannot access a bank branch.

The Department has not made an estimate. In line with our wider policy on financial inclusion we have always made it clear that payment into a bank, building society or credit union account is the preferred way pension and benefits are paid.