Durkan: Post Office account holders unfairly excluded from free school meal payments

Having previously raised this issue in the Assembly Mr Durkan has written to both the Ministers for Communities and Education, urging them to review current criteria to ensure Post Office card account (POca) customers are not excluded from this vital funding. He has also raised his concerns with Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Koulla Yiasouma.

The Foyle MLA commented: “The free school meal payment, a necessary support which I called for from the outset of this crisis, was intended to protect some of the most vulnerable children within our communities. However, it has become apparent that families without access to a mainstream bank account are being locked out of this vital financial support.

“Almost 2000 vulnerable families across the North are currently missing out on these payments, to which they are entitled to. A number at odds with the some 500 cases declared by the Education Minister last month when I raised this very issue in the Assembly. Either the number of families turning to this support has risen dramatically since mid-April or the department did not initially reveal or realise the full extent of this problem. Regardless the reason, this is clearly cause for concern.

“Considering I raised the urgent need for an alternative payment system and degree of flexibility for those affected weeks ago, it is extremely disappointing that neither department has been able to provide a resolution. I have since shared concerns that the rights of some of our most vulnerable children are not being met, with the Children’s Commissioner, Koulla Yiasouma.”

He continued: “The Department for Communities announced last week that existing Post Office card account (POca) holders could continue using this service to access their benefits. Surely, the same mechanism can be applied by EA to ensure POca customers can access free school meal payments.

“Times of crises requires some leniency and a great deal of common sense. The departments need to act now so people can access the help they need, when they need it. Failure to act decisively now is putting already extremely vulnerable families into greater financial difficulty.”