Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with LINK to ensure that banking hubs continue to accept cheques.

The Government recognises that cheques remain an important payment method for some people. Decisions on whether cheque deposits are accepted and processed through Post Office counters in banking hubs are commercial matters for individual banks, based on their arrangements with the Post Office and Cash Access UK, which operates banking hubs. A significant number of retail banks continue to accept cheque depositing services through these counters.

Where cheque depositing is not available at a banking hub counter, customers continue to have alternative options to pay in cheques, including at bank branches, by post, or digitally via mobile banking apps using cheque imaging technology. Where banks have taken commercial decisions to change how they accept cheque deposits, they are expected to consider the needs of customers in vulnerable circumstances and to ensure alternative routes remain available.

The Government continues to engage with the banking industry to improve the consistency and functionality of services provided through banking hubs, including through recent discussions with banks, Cash Access UK and UK Finance.