§ Mr. FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects every local authority to have an agreement with the Post Office for preventing redirection of benefit-related mail. [86902]
§ Angela EagleOur aim is for all local authorities to operate the "do not redirect" service. The Department has written to every authority strongly encouraging them to take up this initiative but it is a matter for individual authorities to decide whether to take part based on local circumstances. To date, 90 local authorities have signed up to the service and a number of other authorities are in the process of doing so. If the current take-up rate were to continue we would expect the majority of local authorities to be operating the service within 12 months.