When will the change be happening?
All customers receiving payments will have been written to already. If you have not responded, DWP will write to you again before summer 2022. By that time, you need to have chosen how you would like to receive your payments from DWP and made arrangements for this.
If you haven’t done so already, you must provide HMRC with alternative bank details to continue receiving tax credits or child benefit payments as these are no longer paid into the Post Office card account. Please be advised that there is no Payment Exception Service for benefits received from HMRC.
Closing your Post Office card account
Once the government has stopped making payments into your Post Office card account, they’ll ask us to close it. It’s very important that you claim any remaining balance before we do. We’ll write to you giving two months’ notice of your account’s closure. We’ll include a form you can use to request your remaining account balance be sent to you. You can also use your card during this time to withdraw your remaining money at Post Office branches or ATMs (subject to daily limits).
When the notice period ends, we’ll close your account and you’ll no longer be able to access your money using your card. Any remaining balance will be held safely until you contact us to claim it.
If you wish to close your account sooner or claim any balance from a previously closed account, you can pick up an account closure form at a Post Office branch. Alternatively, call the Post Office card account helpline on 03457 22 33 44 and we can send you one.
What do I need to do now?
You will have three options to receive pensions and benefits payments in the future:
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1. Use an existing account you have with a bank, building society or credit union
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2. Open an account with a bank, building society or credit union
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3. Payment Exceptions Service (does not apply to payments received from HMRC)
If you’re receiving payments from DWP and are unable to use or set up a bank, building society or credit union account, the government will get in contact with you about their new Payment Exception service. If you are receiving payments from HMRC you can contact HMRC’s helplines (0345 300 3900 for tax credits or 0300 200 3100 for child benefit) or use your Personal Tax Account to provide alternative account details.