Northern Irish post offices should be government “front office”
Consumer advocacy group Consumer Focus Post has called on the government in Northern Ireland to reverse a decline in the amount of municipal services that are made available via post offices. Over the past eight years, the revenue received by the Post Office network from providing access to government services has dwindled from GBP 576m to GBP 167m a year.
Once accounting for half post office revenue, it now accounts for just a fifth of the network’s income.
Consumer Focus Post, part of the UK’s national Consumer Focus organisation, issued a report this week urging Northern Irish lawmakers and local authorities this week to recognise the benefits for both consumers and the post office network itself in turning local post offices into a “front office for government services”.
As well as more convenience for consumers in accessing government services, and a greater reach for public sector organisations, the services would help improve the running of post offices themselves, the group said.
While government services are increasingly moving online, Consumer Focus Post said face-to-face provision was still “essential” for those who cannot get online, or for requirements like the presentation of ID.
Access via Northern Ireland’s 500 post offices could help consumers particularly in Northern Ireland since the provision of public services is more complicated than in other parts of the UK, because of the devolvement of government.
Consumer Focus Post said a major review of how public services are delivered in Northern Ireland, combined with a planned reduction in the number of councils from 26 to 11 could offer opportunities to provide more services through post offices.
Services
“Post offices can help bridge the ‘digital divide’ between government and consumers”
After surveying the 26 councils as well as government officials on which services they provide via post office counters, Consumer Focus Post said services currently on offer on Northern Irish post offices included car tax renewal, passport applications and pension or benefit payments.
The group said there was more scope to offer other services such as those available in some post offices on the British mainland, like driving licence renewals.
The report pointed to other ideas of government services provided in post offices around the world, including the provision of government notices in Switzerland, application for travel cards, birth/marriage certificates and parking permits in Australia, and payment of waste collection and renewal of residency permits in Italy.
Across the border in the Republic of Ireland, examples of additional services provided through post offices include birth and marriage certificates, payment of traffic fines, issuing of land registry documents and applications for parking permits.
Kellin McCloskey, head of policy at Consumer Focus, said: “In this increasingly digital age, post offices can help bridge the ‘digital divide’ between the government and consumers who can’t, or don’t want to, access services online.
“This is particularly important in providing essential support for more vulnerable consumers and those without access to the Internet.”
Post Office Ltd welcomed the Consumer Focus Post report, saying its network played a “vital role” in helping people access government services, and adding that it had a “real desire” to increase the amount of work it does on this area.
Kevin Seller, head of government services at Post Office Ltd, said: “A more modern, sustainable Post Office with an unrivalled infrastructure and reputation for trust, makes us an increasingly attractive channel for key government and local government services in Northern Ireland.”
