New post office card account must be available to all - Alexander

4.17.15pm GMT Mon 18th Dec 2006

Following the Government announcement on the future of Post Office Ltd, Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions Spokesperson, Danny Alexander MP has called for the successor to the Post Office Card Account (POCA) to be freely available to all citizens.

Danny Alexander said "The Government have rightly bowed to enormous public pressure not to abolish the Post Office Card Account. However, today's statement leaves many questions unanswered.

"The DWP has been left with egg on its face because of this u-turn. They must not now be allowed to try to gain backdoor savings by making the new account difficult to obtain.

"It must be made clear to all pensioners and benefit claimants that they are free to switch to the new account. There must be none of the bullying and pressure to switch to a bank account that there was when POCA was first introduced.

"The card account is vitally important to vulnerable people and to the Post Offices. People who want to support their Post Office and access cash locally must be free to do so."