Burstow backs campaign to save local post offices

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 29th Sep 2006

Local MP Paul Burstow met with SubPostmasters from across Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park last Tuesday to express his support for their campaign to safeguard the future of postal services in the area.

Mr Burstow called the meeting to discuss the impact of a government announcement that the contract for the Post Office Card Account (POCA) will not be renewed beyond its initial term of 7 years. The POCA was set up to allow people without bank accounts at high-street banks to receive benefit payments after the withdrawal of the payment book system.

The POCA is estimated to be worth £1 billion to Post offices across the UK. It is used by around 3.6 million people in the UK as a means to access benefit or pensions payments. This means an average of 355 customers a week come to each post office in the country as a result of the account.

The National Federation of SubPostmasters launched a national petition to the government earlier in the year and a number of local post offices have collected signatures.

Commenting after the meeting, Mr Burstow said:

"The loss of the card account could spell disaster for Post Offices like the one at Lavender Corner in North Cheam. It will also hit hardest those people without any other form of bank account - people who in many cases do not have the capacity to manage their finances."

"The sub-postmaster at Lavender Corner left me under no illusions at all. Without income from the card account, life will be very difficult indeed. The account represents a vital lifeline both for account holders and for the post offices themselves."