---

Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of recipients in each benefit category do not have a bank account; what measures his Department is taking to encourage the take-up of the Post Office card accounts by those without a bank or building society account; and what targets his Department has set for the paying of benefits by automatic credit transfer to those without a bank or building society account. [137745] Mr. Pond: The following table shows the percentage of recipients in each benefit category that do not have a bank account suitable for direct payment. This information has been derived from the data used to compile the Family Resources Survey1 (FRS) 2001-02. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Benefit Per cent. of recipients in each benefit category that do not have a bank account suitable for direct payment Working age benefits 33 Disability and carer's benefit 23 Retirement pension1 10 Child benefit 12 War pensions 8 All benefits 13 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Excluding MIG cases. The Department has a published Public Service Agreement target that by 2005, 85 per cent. of customers will have their benefits paid by direct payment. People are being provided with all the information they need on all of their "account options", including which accounts can be used at post office branches. It will be up to the customers themselves to decide which type of account they wish to have their money paid into. Already 87 per cent. of all customers have access to a bank account that can receive direct payment. The move to direct payment is progressing well. Key figures on the progress of conversion to direct payment are available in the Library, updated every four weeks. 1 GB household survey of people aged 16 and above and not in full time, non-advanced education.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

137745; 413 c485-6W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Bank services Recipients Social security benefits Standards Take-up Post office card account Automated credit transfer

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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