Sir Edward Garnier, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, has welcomed the installation of two new PayPoint outlets in the Harborough constituency in recent months. There are now 32 in Harborough (compared with 14 post offices). The PayPoint service is now available in more than 25,600 shops throughout the UK. PayPoint enables consumers – generally from more vulnerable and financially disadvantaged groups in society – to pay essential household bills, including gas and electricity meter prepayments, council tax, rent, TV licences and water bills, at local shops.
The PayPoint network is used, free of charge, over 12 million times a week and provides a vital lifeline in many of the most deprived communities in the UK, particularly where those with prepayment energy meters rely on PayPoint retailers being open for long hours every day – including Sundays – when they can top up their meters. A small proportion of pensioners and benefits claimants are now able to access their entitlements in cash at many PayPoint outlets through a service known as Simple Payment. More than 1.1 million payments have been made by Simple Payment since the scheme started early this year.
Edward Garnier said: “I welcome the two new PayPoints in my constituency as they provide vital services to those that use them. They are also adapting to accommodate the needs of users, such as the service launched this April for local authorities to administer Emergency Payments to people in crisis, after responsibility for these payments was transferred from the Department of Work and Pensions. This service has already handled over 50,000 Emergency Payments worth in excess of £2 million. I will be meeting PayPoint staff in the New Year to learn more about how PayPoint helps my constituents.”