- Conference
- 2010 Retired Members' Conference
- Date
- 22 June 2010
- Decision
- Carried
Conference may be aware that the National Pensioners’ Convention has consistently campaigned to enable pensioners to receive their pension payments by giro if they so wish. Despite a considerable amount of pressure and bullying from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), around 200,000 pensioners continue so to do.
However, it is now known that those in receipt of giro payments are starting to receive letters informing them that giros are to be phased out and encouraging them to open a bank account. What the letters do not say is that a tender to provide a suitable and equivalent replacement for giros went out in December 2009 and the DWP won’t announce the new product until the autumn. The letters are misleading given there are no suitable alternatives to giros that have been put in place. The DWP cannot force individuals to open bank accounts or stop paying them their pensions.
Therefore Conference :-
i. instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee and calls on the National Executive Council to campaign strongly urging the DWP to provide the information now on proposed new alternative products for the Giro and;
ii. continue with giro cheques until the new products are proven successful