HC Deb 20 March 2003 vol 401 cc917-9W
Mr. Hepburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people collect benefits from post offices in(a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK. [103559]

Malcolm Wicks

Information available on the number of people that receive benefits by a method of payment collectable from post offices as at 25 January 2003 is in the table. Included in these figures are customers paid by Girocheque. Girocheques are encashable either at a post office or they can be paid into a bank or building society account.

Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at post offices through network banking arrangements at the post office. There are no data available on the number of benefit claims collected in this way.

Total benefit recipients Payable at post offices
Jarrow constituency 35,911 26,511
South Tyneside 68,886 51,931
North East 1,073,900 747,964
Great Britain 21,641,051 12,456,733

  1. 1. People in receipt of more than one benefit may have those benefits combined to a single benefit account. Figures are in terms of these accounts.
  2. 2. Figures for Great Britain are for England, Scotland and Wales. Information for Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.
  3. 3. The 'Payable at post offices' column represents customers who have their benefit paid either entirely by paper method, or at least one of their benefits is by paper if they are receiving a combination of benefits and some are being paid direct.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps he has taken to inform benefit claimants to be affected by the change in payment method about the steps needed to register for a post office card account; [103510]

(2) what arrangements are in place to cater for benefit or pension recipients who do not specify their preferred payment method at the end of the changeover to the new payment system. [103511]

Malcolm Wicks

The Department is mailing customers affected individually to inform them of the move to Direct Payment. This activity began in October 2002 with mailings to Child Benefit and War Pension customers. In addition to this we are planning to run national and regional press advertising this month and plan further advertising from May onwards. This aims to educate our customers about what is changing, the options they have and the action they should take. It will be up to the individual to decide what the best option for their circumstances will be.

It has always been recognised that there will be a small number of people who will not be able to be paid directly into an account. We are currently exploring alternative ways in which these customers could receive their money.

Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claimants in(a) each region and (b) each local authority have opted to collect their benefit payments using (i) post office card accounts, (ii) basic bank accounts and (c) current bank accounts. [103512]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not available in the format requested.

Information that is available shows that as at 28 February 2003, over 447,226 customers have responded to our letters and opted for payment into a bank or building society account. This is made up of 393,847 child benefit customers, 51,806 veterans agency customers and 1,573 pensions customers.

As at 28 February 2003, 1,218,916 customer invitation letters have been issued. From the invitation letters issued 90,711 customers have responded with a request for a Post Office card account.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in(a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency collect benefits from Post Offices. [103124]

Malcolm Wicks

Information available on pensioners as at 25 January 2003 in(a) Essex and (b) West Chelmsford constituency receiving their benefits by a method of payment collectable at Post Office is shown in the following table. Included in these figures are customers paid by Girocheque. Girocheques are encashable either at a post office or they can be paid into a bank or building society account.

Number
Essex 122,192
West Chelmsford 7,621

Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at Post Offices through the network banking arrangements at the Post Office. There is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected this way.

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in(a) Essex and (b) the West Chelmsford constituency have migrated from over the counter benefit payments to direct bank transfers in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [103125]

Malcolm Wicks

The information is not available in the format requested.

Such information as is available on pensioners as at 25 January 2003 in (a) Essex and (b) West Chelmsford constituency, that have migrated to receiving at least one type of benefit, from payments collectable at post offices to payment into a bank or building society account, is shown in the table. The figures are a comparison between those of 25 January and the same records approximately 12 weeks earlier. Included in these figures are customers paid by Girocheque. Girocheques are encashable either at a post office, or they can be paid into a bank or building society account.

Number of pensioners
Essex 1,317
West Chelmsford 76

Some customers who are paid direct into an account can also collect their benefit in cash at post offices through network banking arrangements at the Post Office. There is no data available on the number of benefit claims collected this way.

Nick Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps have been taken to promote the use of(a) a Post Office card account, (b) a current account and (c) a basic account for receiving benefit payments following the introduction of ACT; and if he will make a statement. [103801]

Malcolm Wicks

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) on 27 January 2003,Official Report, column 662W.