#LOVEYOURLOCAL POSTOFFICE

We need your help to raise awareness of two issues threatening our post office community:

Energy Business Relief Scheme 

Post Offices' energy costs are set to increase up to four or five times. This is unsustainable and it is vital that we work together to ensure that Government takes action to support postmasters and their post offices. We urgently need the Energy Business Relief Scheme to be extended beyond March 2023 by being classed as a vulnerable industry.

Reduced cash deposit limits

In line with limits set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), banks are reducing cash deposits at post offices counters. This means that small businesses must go to their local bank branch to pay in larger deposits of cash. The danger is that with fewer banks on the high street, personal banking customer will be forced to travel to their nearest bank branch, while businesses could be forced to stop accepting cash from their customers because they can not safely deposit it at their local post office.

Why does this matter? 

If businesses stop accepting cash, this will have a hugely damaging impact on the cash infrastructure. Reduced cash deposits will result in less remuneration for your local postmaster, many of whom are working for pay equivilent to the National Minimum Wage or less.

If limits are imposed this will negatively impact on the payments to postmasters, which could result in significant financial costs, threatening the viability of their Post Offices. Already 87% of NFSP members have been negatively impacted by these banking changes. 

What can you do? 

As a post office customer, we need you to write to:

1. Your MP and urge them to do what they can to extend the Energy Business Relief Scheme for post offices beyond March 2023. We have put together a Template letter for you to send to your MP in support of your local post office, requesting the Energy Relief Scheme to be extended for post offices beyond March 2023. 
2. We also need you to write to your local MP and local councillor, to ask that they do all they can to remove or substantially raise the limits on post office cash deposits via the FCA. If you are a post office customer, please write to your MP to show your support. Here is a Template letter .

As a local business, we need you to:

1. Write to your local MP, local councillor and Chamber of Commerce to request that the FCA remove or substantially raise the limits on post office cash deposits as this impacts the viability of your business, please find a Template letter HERE

If you are unsure who your local MP is, you can find out HERE.

We have also produced a guide to give you some tips on how to write to your MP.  Please find HERE. 

We have developed a social media campaign so please do share these visuals via your social media channels. 

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With your direct action we can raise awareness of these crucial issues. 

Help your local post office help your community.