Village fight to save Post Office

Villagers campaigning to keep a post office branch open are to petition Parliament over government plans to end a benefits and pensions account.

Post Office Card Accounts are designed for people to receive benefits, state pensions and tax credit payments.

Residents at Grafton Underwood, in Northants, claim this account is vital to their post office.

They handed their petition to Kettering MP Philip Hollobone on Friday who has pledged to take up their case.

Branches may close

People using the card account have to receive the money over the counter.

But residents at Grafton Underwood claim that without this regular business their branch will have to close.

Mr Hollobone said: "More than 31,000 people in Northamptonshire use post office card accounts to receive benefit or pension payments.

"The government has put forward plans to abolish them from 2010, and some sub-postmasters fear it will mean branches will close because there will be fewer reasons for customers to visit them.

"The petition from Grafton Underwood residents calls on the government to reverse its decision."