HL Deb 20 April 2000 vol 612 cc133-4WA
Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether benefit books and giro cheques for social security beneficiaries will continue to be made available for presentation at post offices for those who require them after 2003. [HL2088]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Baroness Hollis of Heigham)

From 2003 we intend to move from the traditional paper-based methods of benefit payment to a more secure and efficient method of paying benefits through automated credit transfer (ACT). The move to ACT will begin in 2003 and be completed in 2005. During this period we will phase out girocheques and order books as benefit recipients are migrated to payment by ACT.

However, those benefit recipients who wish to collect their cash at post offices will continue to be able to do so, both before and after the move to ACT.

We also recognise that there will be some people whom we will be unable to pay by ACT. For these, we are considering what alternative simple electronic money transmission system, which could also be accessed at post offices, may be commercially available.