Government Must Rethink Abolition of The Post Office Card Account

6.08.00pm GMT Mon 16th Oct 2006

New figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats show that in the Twickenham constituency 2,890 people use the post office card account to receive their pensions and while another 1,590 use it for other benefits. In Richmond Park the numbers are 2570 and 1530. Vincent Cable, MP, said: " it is astonishing that the Government seems intent on destroying a service which is of such great value to so many people across the local are community and the country as a whole. There are almost 4,500 people in my constituency and over 8,000 people in the borough who are affected (and even more in neighbouring boroughs: 15,000 in Hounslow for example). The post office card account offers an accessible and affordable way for thousands of people in the area to receive their benefits, yet the Government is proposing to axe it."

"Without the vital revenue stream from the post office card account, the Government is further undermining the long term viability of the post office network meaning that even more than the 3,500 post offices already closed will be put out of business. Six branches in the Twickenham constituency have closed in the last few years and others will struggle."

Commenting further on an Age Concern report published earlier this month Vincent Cable said:

"The government must pay far greater heed to the effects the closure of post offices have on a community - nearly 8 out of 10 people feel that the closure of their local post office would present a loss of essential local services."