Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on paying state pensions into a bank account held at a local post office.

Since January 2017, 99% of banks personal customers are able to withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries free of charge at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches.

The Government is committed to helping more people move towards, and benefit from, mainstream banking. The DWPs standard Method of Payment is to pay electronically into a bank account, building society account, credit union account, internet based account or a basic bank account of the customer’s choice. This provides a safe, modern and reliable method of payment, which gives customers greater choice about where and when they collect their money.

For people who do not have access to a mainstream account, the Department currently offers two exception payment methods and this includes Post Office card account which enables payment of benefit and pension into an account which is held at a local post office.