It could be a cold Christmas Eve for millions of pensioners and disabled people who will have just half a day to queue up and get their week’s pension or benefit before Post Offices shut at 12.30.
Although the Government has brought some payments forward to Friday 21st it says computer limitations mean it cannot pay all of them out before the weekend. That will leave millions of people who normally get their money over three days on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday queuing up to take it out in little more than three hours.
Those who just get retirement pension with no pension credit – about three quarters of all pensioners – will be able to get their money on Friday. But pensioners who get pension credit will not be able to get any of their week’s money out until Monday. They will join severely disabled people and their carers who must either get the money out on Monday morning or wait until after Christmas.
Despite efforts to get everyone to agree to their pensions being paid into a bank account, about 3.5 million people still rely on the Post Office for their cash. More than three million use the Post Office Card Account and another 400,000 are sent a cheque which has to be cashed at a Post Office. Most of these 3.5 million people are pensioners.
Normally pensions and other payments are brought forward when holidays prevent them being paid on their due date. For example when there is a Bank Holiday payments due on Monday are brought forward by a week so a fortnight’s money can be drawn out at once. But on this occasion the Government has decided to bring payments forward by just a day or two. A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said “The Post Office has assured us they will be able to serve all their customers on these days.”
A review of the system for future years has been ordered. Christmas next falls on a Tuesday in 2012.
Payments due Christmas Eve
(Monday 24th) to Boxing Day (Wednesday 26th)
Paid on Friday 21 December
State retirement
pension (if you do not get pension credit), widow’s and bereavement benefits,
jobseeker’s allowance.
Paid on Monday 24 December
before 12.30
Pension credit
(with or without state pension), income support, disability living allowance,
attendance allowance, carer’s allowance.
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