Vulnerable Post Office customers offered cash deliveries

The cash delivery service is initially being made available to around 27,000 Post Office Card Account customers in England, who are currently shielding – ie, strictly avoiding any contact with others – at home due to the risk of coronavirus.

Customers who are unable to go out to access their money in the usual way can be sent next-day cash deliveries, to ensure they can continue to access their pensions and benefits.

See our Coronavirus Finance & Bills Help and Coronavirus Life-in-Lockdown guides for more info on the help available during the pandemic.

How does the scheme work?

The Post Office Card Account is an account where you can have your pension, benefits or tax credits paid to you without needing to open a traditional bank account.

If you have one of these accounts and you're eligible to use the scheme, you'll be contacted directly by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – which is running the scheme in partnership with the Post Office – and asked if you need to have cash delivered.

If you do need a cash delivery, you can then agree the amount to be sent (you can be sent payments which have been made, or are due to be made, into your Post Office Card Account – but you won't be given extra cash).

The DWP will then notify the Post Office, which will arrange for the cash to be sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery, arriving by 9pm the following day.