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Benefit claimants urged to switch Post Office card accounts now
Thousands of tax credits and child benefit claimants whose payments are made into a Post Office card account have just two weeks to switch to avoid the money being stopped.
From 6 April 2022, HMRC will stop making payments into Post Office card accounts.
As such, around 6,800 customers who receive tax credits, child benefit or guardian’s allowance will need to transfer their accounts by 5 April 2022 to continue receiving the payments uninterrupted.
This will need to be switched to a bank, building society or credit union account.
They will then need to notify HMRC of their alternative account.
Child benefit and guardian’s allowance claimants can use their personal tax account to provide revised account details, change their bank account details via Gov.uk or by contacting the child benefit helpline on 0300 200 3100.
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Tax credits claimants can change their bank account details by contacting the tax credits helpline on 0345 300 3900. If people can’t open a bank account, they should contact HMRC.
HMRC said it will not be possible to pay tax credits or child benefit until a valid account is provided. If a claimant misses the 5 April deadline, their payments will be paused until the customer notifies HMRC of their new account details.
Since October 2019 when it first informed benefit recipients about the change, more than 143,000 people have already switched their accounts.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, said: “Time is running out and we want to make sure that no customer misses out on the benefit payments they are entitled to. If you still need to switch your Post Office card account, contact HMRC to update your bank account details.”
The original agreement allowing HMRC to make payments into Post Office card accounts was due to end on 30 November 2021, but this was extended until 5 April 2022.