Elderly people 'to be worst hit by post office closures'

Published on Friday 29 August 2008 10:21

ELDERLY people without bank accounts will be the worst hit by Royal Mail's post office closure plans in Edinburgh, an MSP warned today.

Scottish Nationalist Ian McKee said many older people, especially those on low incomes, used the Post Office to collect their benefits and pay their utility bills because they did not have bank accounts.

He highlighted four post offices earmarked for closure where such transactions made up around half or more of the business.

He said bills and benefits accounted for 48 per cent of the 973 transactions per week at Gorgie post office, 62 per cent of the total of 643 transactions at Calder Crossway and around 50 per cent of the 726 transactions at Longstone. At Poltonhall, Midlothian, bills and benefits made up as much as 68 per cent of its 631 transactions.

Dr McKee said: "If someone is queuing up at the post office every week to get their benefits, it implies they don't have a bank account – and the same goes for bill payments."

He said the Post Office had to consider its social responsibility. "When you are going to cause a great deal of inconvenience and difficulty to the people who are the most vulnerable in society, you need to think again.

"The very least they should do is organise some alternative facility – even once a week would help."

Ex-miner Edward Mellor, 63, uses the post office in Poltonhall, to collect his benefit and pay his gas and electricity bills. "I've got emphysema and spondilitis and I have to use a walking frame," he said. The post office is just 300 yards down the road – it takes me a wee while to get down, but it gets me out. If it closes I will have to get the bus to Bonnyrigg."

Mr Mellor said the post office in Rosewell had already shut and now the one in Lasswade was due to close as well as Poltonhall.

"All these people are going to be descending on Bonnyrigg. Is it going to be like Wimbledon, with us having to camp out in tents in the queue?" he added.

A total of 13 Edinburgh post offices are recommended for closure along with three in West Lothian, four in Midlothian and two in East Lothian.

An Age Concern spokesman said most older people saw the post office as a lifeline, with many relying on it as a "one-stop shop" for cash, benefits and paying bills.

A spokesman said: "Further cuts to the network risk leaving many vulnerable older people socially isolated and struggling to access essential services."

A spokesman for Help the Aged added: "A lot of people use the post office to get their pension and benefits, not just because it's close, but because it's a social hub and they meet a lot of friends there."

A Post Office spokeswoman said: "The UK Government has made it quite clear we need to return the Post Office network back into profit and they have already made the decision that 2500 post offices across the UK have to close.

"Post Office Ltd is following strict access criteria laid down by the UK Government, where in urban areas 99 per cent of the population should be within a mile of a post office.

"Part of the consultation which is currently running for six weeks is to hear from customers on any issues they may have on how they will be disadvantaged in accessing alternative services."