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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what measures his Department takes to ensure that benefit claimants who enquire about using a bank account to receive their benefits are informed of all available options, including the use of Post Office card accounts; [140099] (2) what assessment he has made of (a) the tone and content of his Department's literature and (b) the impartiality of its advice on the relative merits of (i) bank accounts and (ii) Post Office card accounts as a means to receive benefit payments. [140094] Mr. Pond: Already 87 per cent of all customers have access to a bank account that can receive Direct Payment. All staff, including front line, Call Centre and Information-line staff, have been provided with information on all of the account options available to the customer. It will be up to the customers themselves to decide which type of account they wish to have their money paid into. The role of DWP staff is to provide factual information in response to enquiries made. The Department's information campaign, to support the move to Direct Payment, provides customers with factual information on the banking options available to them, including information on the Post Office card account. This information campaign has been produced in consultation with the Post Office and a range of other stakeholders. Customer information material is tested on groups of customers before it is issued. This helps to ensure that customers are supplied with all the information they need to choose the account option that is right for them and that they can understand that information. The Department will continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of its customer information material and will make further changes if necessary.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

413 c1341-2W;413 c1337-8W; 140099;140094

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Disclosure of information Bank services Department for Work and Pensions Leaflets Payments Publicity Recipients Social security benefits Post office card account

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk