Pensioners' 'lifeline' under threat (27.09.06)

Thousands fear isolation if rural post offices are forced to close.

Thousands of pensioners risk being cut off from their community unless the Government steps in to rescue rural post offices‚ warns a new report published today by Age Concern.

New findings for the charity show that a whopping 99% of older people in rural areas consider their local post office to be “a lifeline”‚(footnote 1) with over half (56%) of over-60s in the countryside fearing that post office closures would leave them more isolated. (footnote 2)

The report reveals that rural post offices provide much more than just a postal service to older people. Many pensioners use their post office as a ‘one-stop shop’ to access their pension and benefits‚ pay their bills‚ get advice and information‚ and meet and socialise with others. Closures could leave many older people increasingly financially and socially excluded.

76% of older people are worried about losing essential services if their post office is forced to close (footnote 3)
73% feel that they wouldn’t be able to access similar services in their local area (footnote 4)
88% would have to make special travel arrangements to reach alternative services (footnote 5)

Age Concern is calling on the Government to renew the subsidy of rural post offices as part of a more joined-up‚ imaginative approach to delivering essential local services. ( footnote 6) As part of its ‘Stamped Out?’ campaign‚ the charity kick-started a public consultation on the future of rural post offices earlier this summer to bring to light the concerns of older people‚ the heaviest users of post offices.

“The post office acts as a networking centre‚ allowing all villagers to meet‚ pass on news and information… The post office provides me daily with bread‚ milk and other basics.”

“My husband is not able to use public transport and either depends on me to ferry him around or walks to the post office. The people there are his only contact with anyone until I come home from work and it pulls him out of depression.”

“It gives a reason to go out. If you don’t have a reason to go out you become isolated in your own home and become lonely and depressed.”

“Our post office is the centre of our village activity and has retained that aspect of local service that is not available elsewhere in our community.”

The report calls on the Government to urgently develop a positive‚ coherent and sustainable rural strategy. Only by committing to a continuation of the rural subsidy and ensuring that essential services can be accessed locally will the Government ease the anxiety of thousands of older people in rural areas.

Age Concern’s Director General‚ Gordon Lishman‚ said: “The message from older people couldn’t be clearer. Rural post offices play a vital role in the community which stretches far beyond providing a postal service.

“The Government must stop dragging its heels on the future of rural post offices. If it fails to renew the subsidy‚ thousands of post offices could be forced to close down and thousands more vulnerable older people could be cut off from their local community. The Government must consider social as well as commercial factors when making its decision.

“We are urging the Government to listen to the views of those who depend on rural post offices. As a matter of urgency‚ the subsidy must be renewed to ensure that all essential local services‚ including post office services‚ can be accessed by older people living in rural areas.”

Notes to editors

Age Concern consulted 675 people over-60‚ living in a rural area‚ between 1 August and 15 September 2006
ICM/ Age Concern research‚ August 2006
Ibid
Age Concern consulted 675 people over-60‚ living in a rural area‚ between 1 August and 15 September 2006
Ibid
The rural subsidy is currently £150 million per year and helps around 8‚000 rural post offices to stay open. This subsidy runs out in March 2008. The Government will be consulting about the continuation of the rural subsidy in autumn 2006.

ICM interviewed a random sample of 347 adults aged 60+ and living in rural areas by telephone across the country between 23 August and 3 September 2006. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information can be found at http://www.icmresearch.co.uk/.
A PDF of the report is attached. For a hard copy‚ further information‚ or to arrange an interview‚ please contact Helen Wanless in the media team on tel: 020 8765 7514 or email: helen.wanless@ace.org.uk.
Radio producers: Age Concern has an ISDN facility

FACT FILE

The proportion of over 65s living in rural areas is growing
There are around 8‚037‚ post offices in rural areas (defined as those with populations of less than 10‚000)
In 2004/05‚ 144 rural branches closed
In rural areas‚ post offices without a retail business continued to close at a high rate
56% of branches in communities were re-opened within 6 months of the original closure
90% of the rural network makes a loss. But rural post offices with over 2‚000 customers per week make a profit
One third of rural householders find it difficult to get to a post office after their local branch is closed