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<p>The Post Office card account contract ends in November 2021. There are currently
no plans to extend this contract.</p><p>The DWP has written to customers who use the
Post Office card accounts to encourage them to receive payment into a mainstream account.
This is part of our policy of reducing reliance on payment exception services and
promoting financial inclusion through the use of mainstream accounts. Mainstream accounts
offer more features and reduce the cost to the taxpayer. One of the key messages we
highlight, is that 99% of banks’ personal accounts enable customers to withdraw cash,
deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post Office counter via
its network of 11,600 branches.</p><p>For those claimants and pensioners who are unable
to open a mainstream account, the DWP will implement an alternative payment service
that allows users to obtain cash payments in their local area (including suburban
and rural locations) before the end of the Post Office card account contract in November
2021.</p><p>All DWP letters provide a free telephone number where the customer can
call to discuss their payment options further and change their method of payment over
the telephone. A copy of these letters will be placed in the House of Commons Library.</p><p>As
we approach the end of the Post Office card account contract, the DWP and POL will
work together to issue joint guidance on Post Office card account user’s options,
to transfer to other payments methods.</p>
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