Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department will provide to vulnerable claimants to manage the transition away from benefits being paid into Post Office card accounts.

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, to support all Post Office Card Account customers. The Team can help customers update their payment details to a standard account; answer questions about the payment change and; signpost customers to impartial financial advice available through the Money and Pensions Service where they need help to identify a suitable alternative account.

We are working closely with Post Office Limited on the support that their teams can provide to Post Office card account customers. For example, we have recently launched leaflets in some Post Offices to support Post Office card account customers, together with details of how they can update their payment details to a standard account.