§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements he will implement when full-scale Automated Credit Transfer is introduced to protect benefit claimants from(a) delays that are the responsibility of Government and (b) delays that are the responsibility of banks. [152431]
§ Mr. RookerAutomated Credit Transfer was first introduced as a method of paying benefits in 1982 and is now available for all benefits except Social Fund. Currently, over a third of customers already choose to be paid by this method.
Current procedures and contractual arrangements supporting the process are all aimed at ensuring the customer receives payment on the appropriate day.