MP's fury at bank over withdrawal of post office cash availability

Yvonne Fovargue, who represents Makerfield in the House of Commons, has written a letter to Barclays Bank UK outlining her concerns about the move.

Other news: Atherton teenager charged after baby girl's deathIn her letter, which is similar to correspondence sent to the bank by a cross-party group of more than 100 concerned MPs, Ms Fovargue says Barclays customers are currently thought to make 1.2m cash withdrawals from post offices every month.

She says the majority of these are likely to be because there is nowhere else in the local area for them to get money out and asked what these customers are supposed to do now.

Ms Fovargue said: “I am shocked by this decision, which will leave a great number of people without access to their money.

“In recent years, the Post Office has become a lifeline for people who need to withdraw cash, as bank branches close left, right and centre and cash machines disappear from the high street. In another blow, Barclays are withdrawing the right of its customers to take out cash at their local post office.

“The motive seems purely financial.

“A new agreement will give extra money to post offices for handling banking transactions, but Barclays – alone of all the major banks – will not agree.

“For all the talk of the ‘cashless society’, we should not forget that there are a great many people who are still reliant on notes and coins, particularly those on lower incomes.

“Barclays says it is committed to the Post Office, yet its decision will undermine the post office network as well as disadvantaging its customers.

“That is why I have written to the CEO of Barclays UK today asking him to think again.”

A Barclays spokesperson said the bank was working with MPs to ensure that no-one would be left without access to cash.