Cheques in the post (office)

Britain's post offices were thrown a lifeline today when teh Government unvieled plans to turn them into easy use banks.

Britain's post offices were thrown a lifeline today when teh Government unvieled plans to turn them into easy use banks.

The move is aimed at stemming the flow of post offices that are being forced to close in the face of techonological advances and benefits being paid directly into claimants accounts.

Postmasters' leaders had warned that the switch away from cash payment will hit a third of a post office's business and could accelerate the number of closures, currently running at almost 500 a year.

Announcing the proposal Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers said the network of 118,500 post offices would provide services for some of the 3.5 million people who don't have a bank account.