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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many benefit recipients who have been sent letters asking them how they wish to receive benefits following the switch to automated credit transfer have opted for payment by (a) an existing account, (b) a Post Office card account, (c) a basic bank account and (d) the exceptions service; [104579] (2) how many benefit recipients have been sent letters asking them how they wish to receive their benefits following the switch to automated credit transfer, broken down by benefit. [104581] Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. Information that is available shows that as at 7 March 2003 1,369,229 customer invitation letters had been issued. This is made up of 1,236,473 Child Benefit customers, 107,790 Veterans Agency customers and 24,966 Pensions customers. From the invitation letters issued over 545,000 customers have responded to our letters and opted for payment into a bank or building society account and over 106,000 customers have responded with a request for a Post Office card account.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

402 c290W; 104579;104581

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Child benefit Bank services Correspondence Pensions Payments Post offices Social security benefits War pensions Post office card account Automated credit transfer

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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