27 July 2007 – Royal Mail strike – Your questions answered
The Communication Workers Union has called strike action within Royal Mail. This will disrupt postal services. The great majority of DWP customers will avoid any inconvenience because payments are paid direct into their bank or building society accounts. DWP has taken steps to safeguard payments to those customers who still receive cheques through the post. These arrangements are explained below.
My payment normally is sent straight to my bank or building society. Will my payment be affected by the dispute?
No. Payments made in this way are unaffected by the postal strike.
How do I avoid this kind of inconvenience in the future?
By joining the vast majority of DWP customers who have their payments paid directly into their bank, or building society. You can make this switch easily by contacting your payment office.
If postal services are disrupted, how will I get my cheque?
We will arrange for your cheque to be delivered by courier to the Post Office nearest to your normal delivery address for you to collect and cash on your normal payday. For Jobseekers this will be in the afternoon of the day on which you normally receive the cheque.
Which Post Office can I collect my cheque from?
The one nearest your normally delivery address. You can check this on the Post Office website or you can phone our Help line on 0845 600 4271 and ask which Post Office to use.
That Post Office is not the one I use normally. Can you send my cheque to my chosen Post Office?
No, unfortunately during industrial action, it is only possible to send cheques to the Post Office that Post Office Ltd has advised us is the one nearest to your normal delivery address. However, you will be able to cash your cheque at this Post Office with appropriate identification.
What proof of identity should I take to the Post Office?
Any of the following documents will be accepted as proof of identity
- Girobank/Alliance and Leicester Giro Card
- Services (Forces) Identity Card
- Bank Cheque Card
- Passport
- Credit Card
- Birth or Marriage Certificate
- National Savings Bank Book
- Personal Cheque Book
- Driving Licence (conditions apply)
- Immigration and Nationality Department Form SAL1
- Current Trade Union or Trade Association Membership Card
- Membership of a Nationally Recognised Institution, e.g. the AA or RAC
- Council Rent Book
I can’t get to the Post office to collect my cheque, can someone else do if for me?
You can ask someone to collect and cash your cheque on your behalf. This may mean that the person collecting the cheque will have to make two visits to the Post Office.
On the first visit the person collecting your cheque will need:
- A signed letter of authority from you providing proof that they have authority to collect the cheque. The letter of authority must be dated and include the name of the person who will be collecting the cheque and
- Acceptable form of identity for the person named on the cheque and
- Acceptable identification for the person who will be collecting the cheque on your behalf.
When the cheque has been collected you will then need to endorse the back of the cheque, to show that you are giving another person authority to collect your payment. The person collecting the payment on your behalf should retain the original form of identity used to collect the cheque and present this when obtaining your cash.
My cheque hasn’t turned up, what should I do?
Please be patient. There may be short delays and it is possible that, in some cases, cheques may be delayed by a day. If you are in urgent need of payment, you should contact the office that makes your payment.
How long will the strike last?
This is a matter for the Royal Mail and the Communications Worker Union (CWU) rather than DWP but we will keep you informed about the arrangements for payment, using local media.
What happens once the strike is over?
Any cheques that haven’t been collected from the Post Office will be put in the post for delivery to the regular address. We will revert to issuing cheques in the usual way.
I need to post something to one of your offices – how do I do this?
If you are a Child Support Agency Customer who normally pays by cheque, you should contact your CSA office. Unless it is urgent other customers should wait until the strike is over.
