CEREDIGION MP Ben Lake has teamed up with the Post Office, UK Finance and 26 banks to raise awareness of the banking services available to constituents at their local Post Office.

The ‘Everyday Banking at the Post Office’ service means customers, including small businesses, can now pay in cash and cheques or take out money from their high street bank account over the counter at the Post Office.

This means people have ready access to cash to meet their financial needs and support the local economy.

It will be especially valuable to towns where high street banking facilities have disappeared.

Llandysul has been without a high street branch for a year.

Barclays is to close its branch at Newcastle Emlyn on Friday, November 16. The town’s last remaining bank, Lloyds, will also close in January.

Everyday Banking at the Post Office is supported by the retail banking sector and is complementary to the services available at their branches. The service is available to customers whenever the Post Office is open, which in many locations includes evenings and Sundays. There is no additional cost for personal or business customers, with most customers only needing a card and PIN to withdraw cash and a pre-printed paying-in slip to deposit.

Mr Lake said: “This is a really important service for many who prefer to do their banking in person rather than online, and especially given the litany of bank closures we have suffered in recent years.

“In Ceredigion, ‘Everyday Banking at the Post Office’ is available at 50 Post Office branches and has been used 208,135 times in the last year.”

“It is easy to see why this is such an important service to so many, and over the coming months I will be working with the Post Office and the retail banking sector to ensure that this service is developed further.”

Martin Kearsley, banking services director at the Post Office, said: “It’s great to have Ben Lake highlight the Post Office’s trusted network of 11,500 branches which means we are uniquely placed to bring vital services to local communities right across the country.

“It’s a responsibility that we take very seriously, and it's why we have secured continued access to almost every UK bank account through all of our branches, in partnership with the banking industry.

“From cash deposits and withdrawals, to balance enquiries, we want to make life as easy as possible; not only for the Ceredigion community, but for the millions of customers and small businesses who use us every day nationwide.”