Valerie Vaz – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Valerie Vaz on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to continue payment of benefits through the Post Office Card Account for the next five years.

Priti Patel

Post Office Card Accounts provide a useful service to many people and there are no plans to change provision.

The Department recognises, however, that working age claimants may also be receiving wages. As the account does not receive wages or allow for direct debit or standing order facilities, Post Office Card Accounts are not suitable for all of their needs. Those claimants are therefore being encouraged to open main stream bank accounts including credit union accounts.

The Post Office Card Account contract was awarded from 01 December 2014 and expires on 30 November 2021 and there are no plans to amend that term.