Committee publication · Correspondence · 7 July 2026
Letter from the Post Office relating to Treasury Access to Banking Services Review, 25 June 2026
Summary
Post Office Limited writes to the Business and Trade Committee Chair regarding HM Treasury's Access to Banking Services Review. Post Office highlights its role supporting in-person banking access through 11,500 branches, noting that cash transactions increased from 125 million (2019) to 162 million (2025), and references commissioned WPI Economics research showing continued demand for face-to-face banking services among UK adults.
Key findings
- Post Office processed 162 million cash transactions in 2025, up from 125 million in 2019, with nearly £4 billion withdrawn and deposited monthly across its counters
- One in four UK adults use cash for at least half of purchases; three in four use cash monthly; more than one in four continue using face-to-face banking services
- Eight in ten consumers say it is important to access at least one in-person banking service in future; nearly half of those wanting in-person services would like access at their local Post Office
- Post Office operates Banking Framework with 30 banks and building societies providing free cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque deposits and balance enquiries across around 10,000 branches
- Post Office commissioned WPI Economics research to examine demand evolution for cash and face-to-face banking and explore cross-industry collaboration models to protect these services
Tone
SupportiveTopics
banking-servicesfinancial-inclusioncash-accesssmesregional-finance
Key actors
Post Office Limited, HM Treasury, Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne MP, Neil Brocklehurst, WPI Economics, Cash Access UK
Notable line
“… half say they would like to be able to access at least one service at their local Post Office …”
Key Quotes
“Post Office, with its national network of 11,500 branches, is well placed to support shared business banking and financial advice services for SMEs.”
“… cash transactions at Post Office counters increased from 125 million in 2019 to 162 million in 2025, with nearly £4 billion now withdrawn and deposited across Post Office counters each month on average.”
“Eight in ten consumers say it is important for them to be able to access at least one in-person banking service in future, underlining the continued value many people place on face-to-face support.”
“… many customers – including vulnerable people, digitally excluded groups, rural communities and small businesses – continue to need, or strongly prefer, face-to-face support.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗