Scotland could fare worst in rural Post Office closures

PRESS RELEASE

Pensioners, disabled people and those on low incomes will be worst hit by moves to close up to 2,500 post offices.  They will face significant additional costs and be cut off from essential services, new research by the Citizens Advice Bureau service confirms today.

And the CAB service fears that Scots will be hit hardest…

‘Remote’ postcode areas have been guaranteed a certain level of access to post office services (defined by the government as 95% of the local population living within six miles of post office services).  But 38 remote postcode areas – 37 of which are in Scotland - fall short of this criterion and won’t be required to introduce new services to meet the target.

Kaliani Lyle, chief executive of Citizens Advice Scotland, said: “This is a highly inequitable situation.  These 37 Scottish areas are being exempted from the requirement to maintain a minimum level of service – yet, if anything, such communities need a local service more than anyone.”

“We support Postwatch Scotland’s assertion that either these districts need to be placed on an equal footing or the government needs to consider setting specific access criteria for remote Scottish areas.”

An online survey, undertaken by the CAB service across the UK, found that post offices are often the only remaining lifeline in many rural and deprived urban areas.  More than 90% of respondents said they would be personally affected if their local post office were to close; three-quarters said their community would be significantly affected.

Almost a third of the 1,000 people surveyed visit a post office several times a week, a figure rising to half of those aged over 65 and 47% of those on means-tested benefits.  More than 60% of those aged over 75 and those depending on means-tested benefits use the post office to pay bills, while 67% of those living in rural areas rely on it to buy groceries.

Asked what people particularly value about local post offices, almost everyone mentioned the convenient location.  At present, 85% of respondents can reach their local post office within ten minutes - but nearly two thirds (61%) said it would take up to 30 minutes to travel to another branch and 25% said it would take longer.

These results are even more extreme for Scottish respondents:  63% said it would take them between up to 30 minutes to travel to another branch while 36% said it would take even longer.

Closure of a local post office would also lead to a rise in car-use: only 14% of people would be able to continue to walk to their nearest branch – a figure which falls to only 7% among Scottish respondents.  The additional travel costs will also be felt more harshly in Scotland -  59% of Scots said it would cost them more to travel to another branch compared with 49% of total UK respondents.

In its response to the government’s consultation on the future of the post office network - which closes today - Citizens Advice Scotland says it is essential that attention is focused on continuing to deliver services to those who rely on them most.

Where closures are unavoidable, CAS says these must take into account the walking distance and public transport links to the nearest alternative branch, the effect on the local economy, alternative access to basic services, and the age, health and income levels of the local population.

And the impact of closures should not be underestimated. Postwatch Scotland found that in one rural area studied more than a quarter of the residents – including many of the youngest and most active – would seriously contemplate moving away if the post office were to close.

CAS is also calling for the local consultation period on restructuring the network to be doubled from six to 12 weeks.

Kaliani Lyle said: “Our survey confirms that local post offices are a lifeline for many of those living in rural areas and deprived parts of our towns and cities – particularly in Scotland.  We are in no doubt that it is pensioners, disabled people and those living on low incomes who would be worst hit by any changes or reduction in service.

“Closing post offices may save money, but a high price will be paid by already disadvantaged individuals and communities. The government must do everything possible to minimise the negative impact of changes to the network, and ensure that where closures are unavoidable, services are provided in other ways that meet the needs of those who depend on them.”

Notes for News Editors

1. Each CAB is an independent charity, run by a committee of local people, and responsible for raising its own funding.
2. Around 80 per cent of CAB workers are trained volunteers – if you’d like to help your local community for just a few hours each week, contact your local bureau manager, or volunteer through the CAS website – www.cas.org.uk
3. The first bureaux in Scotland were established in 1939 as a wartime information service.  There are now 76 CAB offices across Scotland, which operate from over 200 service points, and which form the country’s largest independent advice network.