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<p>The Post Office has not issued any advice, written or otherwise, to Post Office
card account users over the past five years regarding options to transfer onto alternative
products.</p><p> </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> </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> </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> </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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