Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his Department's policy is on paying benefits to claimants who do not have a bank account.

Direct Payment (DP) into a bank, building society, or credit union account is the safest and most cost-effective method used to make customer benefit and pensions payments. DWP is committed to tackling financial exclusion and helping more people to move towards, and benefit from, mainstream banking but we do recognise that some customers remain unable to access or use such services. Arrangements are in place to ensure those customers can access their money.