Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to assist customers of Post Office card accounts who will no longer be able to use those accounts for the receipt of benefits as of November 2021.

The Department is committed to supporting claimants to access their benefit and pension payments as we transform our payment exception services. Nobody will be left without a means to access to their benefits or pension.

The Department has put in place a dedicated team, the Financial Inclusion Customer Contact Centre. This team are able to support all Post Office Card Account customers to update their payment details to a standard account, answer questions about the payment change and to signpost customers to impartial financial advice available through the Money and Pensions Service where they need help to identify a suitable alternative account.

Customers who are unable to access a standard account will continue to receive their benefit and pension payments through an alternative payment exception service.

The Financial Inclusion Customer Contact Centre can be contacted on 0800 085 7133 Freephone.