Post offices should be "front office" for government in Scotland

Consumer watchdog Consumer Focus Scotland has said national and local authorities in Scotland should make more use of post offices to extend access to services for citizens who need them most. In a new report, the group said there has been a sharp decline in availability of government services at the post office in Scotland over the past five years, but the situation could be reversed in a move that would be particularly of benefit to vulnerable sections of society.

The research followed up indications from the UK government that it would like to see more municipal services returning to post offices.

After consulting with key stakeholders and commissioning international research on the area, CFS said using Scotland’s network of more than 1,400 post offices to provide more government services would particularly benefit members of society who do not have easy access to the internet.

CFS said more than a quarter of people in low income groups already use the post office, while more than 40% of people aged 65 and more than a third of people with disabilities visit their post office at least once a week.

The group said there were some great examples of post office-provided municipal services in Scotland and other parts of the world – from the Fife post offices where visitors can report minor crimes, submit driving documents and hand in lost property to the the Australian post offices in which consumers can pay childcare fees and the Italian post offices where applications can be made for disabled parking permits.

New roles for the post office in Scotland could include identity verification, checking and sending documents to government, helping consumers make and receive payments to and from government agencies, notifying government agencies of changes in status, and also gaining access to government benefits, said the CFS report.

The group now wants the Scottish Government and councils to convene a high-level task force to pinpoint additional public services to deliver through the post office across the country.

It also called on Post Office Ltd to work closely with local authorities in Scotland on the issue – and also address consumer concerns about the length of queues, improving the layout of post offices wherever possible.

Annie McGovern, the Consumer Focus Scotland Postal Services Policy Manager, said: “Post offices are Scotland’s largest retail chain, as well as being trusted and valued hubs embedded in local communities across Scotland.

“Offering more council services at post office counters could bridge the digital divide and help to preserve these vital community assets that so many vulnerable people clearly depend upon. It’s time for the Scottish Government, councils and the Post Office to come together and develop a plan that will boost our Post Offices and the services they offer vulnerable people.”

International research

To inform its view, the consumer watchdog commissioned international research to look at the use of post office counters in providing local government services, including in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

The research – carried out by social research agency TNS-BRMB and Triangle Management Services, parent company of Post&Parcel – considered the complex relationships between postal operators and municipal authorities and how specific culture and economics in different countries influenced consumer expectations for their local government services.

In countries like Ireland, Italy and Australia the study found strong partnerships between government and postal operators were seen as a very “natural” fit for local communities, while in Sweden there is not the same kind of culture in which citizens expect a relationship with government through a community retail outlet like a post office.

In Switzerland and Canada, the researchers said national postal operators were working to provide reliable and trusted links between consumers, communities and government through both physical locations and online facilities.

However, while situations vary considerably in each country, the study suggested consumers everywhere ultimately want convenient access to transact their business in the way they choose.

The research also suggested that postal operators are in a good position to understand the balance in providing services that may require specialist knowledge and physical or technical security arrangements.

Ann Nevinson, director of retail network consultancy at Triangle, said one of the keys to success in providing access to government services through postal counters was close cooperation between the postal operator and the sponsoring government department.

Commenting on the project as a whole, Nevinson said Triangle’s research backed the Consumer Focus Scotland view that post offices in Scotland could help local authorities widen access to their services to key consumer groups.

Nevinson said: “It is particularly pleasing to find that when Consumer Focus Scotland has considered not only our review, but brought this together along with its consumer research and taken stakeholder feedback, it has identified opportunities for additional services and is recommending further action between governments and Post Office Ltd all in the interest of consumers.”