Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the effect of the franchise of crown post offices to WHSmith on people who receive and access their welfare and pensions from a Post Office card account.

The DWP will continue to maintain Post Office card accounts until 2021 and anyone affected after this date will be able to access their money via a suitable banking product that they are able to open themselves. Most bank accounts are available over the counter at Post Office branches and supportive messages are used to signpost customers and encourage them to continue collecting their money at the Post Office. Where this is not possible, the DWP will provide a suitable replacement service after this date.

The DWP has a contract in place with Post Office Limited to provide access to Post Office card accounts throughout its network of branches and ATM’s, this includes some retail outlets. The contract ensures that Post Office card account users have reasonable access to their benefit and pension payments.