The Western Daily Press is celebrating after its efforts to save provincial post offices took a major step forward.

The Halifax has finally decided to sign up for the Universal Bank scheme, after months of careful deliberation.

The scheme formed a major part of the paper’s Don’t Stamp Out Our Post Office campaign which was supported by three million people across the country.

The network was created after the Government’s decided to end the current paper-based system for paying benefits and pensions and switch to automated transfer – a move which would have threatened the existence of 8,000 Post Offices in Britain.

It was organised as a joint effort between the Department of Trade and Industry and major high street banks, and will make it possible for people to set up and access basic accounts from their local Post Office.

The Universal Bank will allow pensioners and benefit recipients to access their payments using a new account called ‘Clear’. And the Halifax’s move will let thousands more people take part.

It will also enable high street banks to make their basic accounts available at Post Offices for people who are unable to get to a bank.

Last December, the Government officially announced it was planning to make the Universal Bank a reality – and many high street banks were quick to sign up.

The Halifax had held back because it was concerned that allowing Post Office staff to open its basic accounts would lead to an increase in fraud and money-laundering.

But this week a spokesman for the bank said: “That difficulty has now been resolved and we are fully behind the Universal Bank.”

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