Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the savings accrued to the public purse as a result of the change from cash payment to direct payment into bank accounts and the Post Office Card Account of benefits since that change came into effect.

DWP is committed to battling financial exclusion and is offering support to help more customers move into banking.

We have interpreted this question to be about the change from Order Books and Cheque payments. There has been a considerable reduction in method of payment costs, however, detailed information on the savings accrued is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.