Fifth of parents aged 50+ have visited children living or holidaying abroad Parents aged over-65 most likely to ‘gatecrash’ their child’s gap year or holiday Post Office Travel Insurance extends its annual multi-trip insurance policy to the over-65s.

With many young adults expected to take a gap year to avoid the credit crunch, research from Post Office Travel Insurance reveals they could be receiving some unexpected guests. A fifth of parents (21 per cent) aged50+ with children that have lived or holidayed abroad, said they had visited their child to broaden their own horizons.
Most intrepid are those parents aged over-65 with almost half (48 per cent) admitting to ‘gate crashing’ their child’s gap year or holiday.

With economising at the heart of many travellers’ plans at present, one in five (19 per cent) of people from all age groups said they plan to holiday with friends and family abroad this year. Once again it is the over-65’s who form one of the biggest groups – 32 per cent said they have already taken advantage of a family member living abroad or in the UK, or plan to so later this year.

Despite their willingness to travel, it’s not always easy for over-65s to get travel insurance, with many providers simply not offering policies to this age group. The Post Office’s research reveals that 14 per cent of those aged 65+ have struggled to get insurance in the past. To make life easier, the Post Office has recently extended its annual, multi-trip insurance policy to cater for over-65s.

Rachel Croft, Post Office head of travel insurance, said: “Many children may use their gap year as a chance to get away from their parents, only to find mum and dad have plans of their own to tag along! For parents, being able to stay with their child whilst they are living abroad means they can holiday for less, but often leads to them travelling to new places and holidaying for longer, making it even more important to have adequate travel insurance in place.

“We understand that finding affordable travel insurance can prove difficult for older travellers and can lead to people having to take out policies that impose high costs or heavy stipulations, which is why we are extending our multi-annual travel insurance policy to the over- 65s.“We hope this move will signal the end for seniors to have to buy expensive single trip policies every time they go on holiday. Instead they can now buy one simple policy to cover all their trips for the year, including trips to stay with children living abroad on gap years.”

Issued by Post Office Ltd:0207 250 2468100 Victoria EmbankmentLondonEC4Y 0HQ www.postoffice.co.uk

Notes to Editors
All figures are from Yogi Plc. Total sample size was 2024 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd – 6th July 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

About Post Office Travel Services: The Post Office offers single trip policies (no upper age limit and cover available for a maximum of 90 days) and annual multi-trip policies (age limit 74 years). A range of great value extras is also available, including extended baggage, excess waiver and golf cover. The annual multi-trip policy provides cover for any number of trips in a 12-monthperiod, up to a maximum of 31 days’ per trip. The Post Office was voted Best Travel Insurance Company for the third year in a row at the 2008British Travel Awards.
The Post Office is also the UK’s largest bureau de change provider offering over 70 different currencies with 0 per cent commission on all foreign currency and travellers’ cheques. The Post Office pre-paid Travel Money Card offers customers a secure and convenient way to carry their holiday money and the Post Office Credit Card is one of the few to offer 0 per cent commission on overseas purchases,
The Post Office also provides a range of other great value travel services including EHIC forms, passport check and send service and photos and international money transfers.
About Fortis: Fortis Insurance Limited is a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK. As the fourth largest travel insurer in the UK, insuring in the region of 3 million travellers, Fortis boasts a highly skilled team who on hand 24/7/365 days a year, to provide the very best service to their travel insurance policyholders. Over nearly 30 years Forties’ Assistance International and its team of multi-lingual staff have built an enviable and solid base of experience in managing a network of agents worldwide. Forties is consistently recognised for delivering high-quality customer experiences and links quality of service to speed of settlement. Fortis Insurance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Tags: British Gas, Gap year, Holiday, Holiday Activities, The Post Office, Travel, Travel Insurance

BT customers can continue to benefit from the convenience of paying for and towards their BT telephone services at Post Office branches. The Post Office and BT have extended their long-standing relationship by a further three-year period, from September 2011 to the end of September 2014.

The agreement will enable BT customers to pay for their quarterly bills by cash, cheque or debit card at any of the UK’s 11,500 Post Office branches.

Also, customers can continue to save towards their quarterly bill by making regular payments using their BT payment card in Post Office branches.

John Petter, MD, Consumer, BT Retail said “BT customers have the widest of choice of payment options in the UK, which includes payment at the 11,500 Post Offices around the country where they can pay their bills or make payments towards their next bill via their BT payment card. We are delighted to continue our relationship with the Post Office and give our customers another convenient way of paying their bill. ”

Post Office marketing director Gary Hockey-Morley said: “BT customers enjoy the convenience of paying for or towards their bill at the same time as posting a parcel or buying their foreign currency at the Post Office. We are delighted to extend our long-standing and valued relationship with BT, which allows our mutual customers to continue paying at their local Post Office.”

In addition to paying bills, customers can access a wide range of other services at their local Post Office, such as banking and financial services including free cash access over the counter, travel services including travel insurance, passports and commission-free currency, and mail and postal services.

Tags: Banking, Banking and Insurance, BT, Insurance, Passport, The Post Office, Travel Insurance

Let’s face it. All of us in the UK have had a really difficult time over the last 18 months or so. Unlike most of the recessions, depressions and hard times that this country has experienced in its history, no one has better reported, forecasted and predicted as well as this one has. Yet when it burst on the scene, it came as a bolt of lightning on a clear and sunny day. After the initial panic, financial analysts seem to be popping up everywhere predicting how the financial crisis is going to pan out, and to be fair, they have been mostly correct. We appear now to be just more than half way through the recession and into a period where people have mostly regrouped and preparing themselves to dig in for the final push.

Most people have had time to take a good look at how they managed their banking pre-recession and hopefully have learned from any mistakes that they made. To be honest, the face of banking has changed so much as a result of the crisis, and the banks that you will find today, bear only a passing resemblance to the banks that you knew in 2007. For a start, credit will be much more difficult to attain, and only on specific circumstances and in less flexible terms than before.

We are back to the good old days of mutual fiscal responsibility, In other words, you have to be much more involved in how you manage your financial affairs and don’t expect the banks to subsidise a lifestyle that you cannot afford. Because they won’t.

Instead you will be expected to manage your bank account without the “safety net” of overdrafts or excessive borrowing through credit cards. You will need to live on your income, and manage your current account and hopefully savings account more prudently than you may have done in the past.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to consolidate or reorganize your banking. Take a look around the internet , study and compare interest rates both for saving accounts and overdrafts. Every penny counts in the battle to see out this economic turndown.
It will be well worth your while to start your online search at on http://www.bank–accounts.co.uk/, the UKs leading website for banking information. Providing rates and other information on such major banks as
Abbey National, Alliance and Leicester, Halifax International, HSBC, Nationwide and the Post Office, you are liable to gain a lot from the experience.

Tags: Abbey National, Alliance and Leicester, Bank Accounts, Halifax International, HSBC, Nationwide, post office

• New Post Office® City Costs Barometer makes Budapest a best buy
• Sterling still strong in Turkey and Poland, as well as Hungary

Eastern European cities outside the eurozone are the places to head off for a bargain break this spring, according to the new City Costs Barometer from Post Office® Travel Services (postoffice.co.uk/). 

As the euro continues to fly high against sterling, the Post Office report into non-euro city destinations shows that Budapest, followed closely by Warsaw and Prague, are the cities where thrifty tourists will get more for their money.¹ 

The three eastern European capitals emerge as cheapest of 10 ‘alternative’ cities outside the eurozone where UK tourists, daunted by the idea of sky high prices in traditional favourites like Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona, can bag a bargain break.   

And, despite the bad press for sterling, UK tourists will actually get more for their money than a year ago in three of the cities surveyed – Warsaw, Budapest and Istanbul – as sterling has strengthened against their currencies.² In the case of the Polish zloty, the UK pound is over 10 per cent stronger, making city breaks to Warsaw and to Krakow much cheaper than in 2008. 

The Post Office City Costs Barometer examined the price of typical tourist items like drinks and meals out, together with three-star city centre hotel accommodation, airport transfers and sightseeing costs.  It found that all five eastern European cities surveyed – including the Baltic duo of Tallinn and Riga – are much less expensive than those in Scandinavia. 

Individually, Warsaw rates as cheapest for weekend accommodation – so independent travellers can expect a great deal if they travel while the Polish zloty remains weak.  Budapest and Prague are best value for eating out, while return transfers between airport and city centre, a cost that tourists cannot avoid, is cheapest in Riga.  

The Post Office also surveyed the costs of visits to art galleries and top heritage attractions, finding that culture comes cheap in Warsaw, Tallinn and Budapest – but costs nothing at all in Oslo, where the key visitor attractions are free.³ 

However, while costs on the ground may be significantly cheaper in eastern Europe – at under £130 for 11 items, the Budapest shopping basket weighed in almost half the price in Copenhagen – the Post Office report also established that flight costs to Scandinavia could be significantly cheaper than elsewhere in Europe. 

Andrew Spice of Post Office Travel Services said: “There are lots of factors for consumers to consider when booking a city break, including the cost of getting to a destination.  Our ’snapshot’ of flights available in late April⁴ showed that Copenhagen actually had the cheapest weekend price of just £41.98, so there are definite benefits to considering a Scandinavian break. 

“The exchange rate is another crucial factor.  With sterling’s continuing weakness against the euro, doubts have been expressed as to whether the traditional spring getaway to popular cities in the eurozone will survive this year.  However sterling is holding up well against several European currencies and our costs barometer of non-euro cities shows that there is great value to be had for UK holidaymakers. 

“Capitals like Budapest and Warsaw are extremely cheap places to visit at the moment and have attractions to rival those of the traditional city break favourites.”    

Over 1,600 Post Office bureau de change branches offer the most widely requested European currencies on demand, including all those featured in the Post Office City Costs Barometer, except the Hungarian forint and Estonian kroon, which can be pre-ordered.    

All currencies can be pre-ordered for next day branch collection at all 11,500 Post Office outlets or online at postoffice.co.uk.  Home delivery can also be requested online.  Travellers to the eurozone can obtain euro currency over the counter at more than 8,000 Post Office branches. 

The full results of the Post Office City Costs Barometer can be viewed online at: postoffice.co.uk/citybreaksreport.�
�

Ends 

CBPR     Post Office Press Office 

Christine Ball    Hayley Fowell

01798 874177   020 7250 2417

cball@cballpr.co.uk    hayley.fowell@royalmail.com

Notes to Editors:

 

¹ Post Office City Costs Barometer 2009 of cities outside the eurozone.  Prices supplied by tourist offices of participating countries. Hotel prices were researched independently and are based on two adults sharing a double/twin room in a three-star city centre hotel over a weekend. Where possible, these were verified by tourist offices.

POST OFFICE CITY COSTS BAROMETER 2009: NON-EUROZONE CITIES

�

Items	Budapest Hungary	Warsaw Poland	Prague Czech Republic	Tallinn Estonia	Riga Latvia
Cup of coffeeBar/café	£1.00	£2.20	£1.68	£1.29	£2.66
Bottle of lagerBar/café	£1.67	£2.20	£2.80	£2.57	£2.66
Bottle/can of Coca-ColaBar/café	£0.83	£1.10	£2.24	£1.61	£0.87
Bottle of still mineral waterSupermarket	£0.33	£0.51	£1.01	£0.64	£0.44
Postcard and stamp to UK	£1.00	£1.10	£0.84	£1.09	£1.26
Pack (20) Marlboro Lights cigarettes	£1.90	£2.20	£2.80	£2.57	£2.59
3 course evening meal for 2 in a local restaurant (inc bottle of house wine)	£20.03	£65.98	£28.93	£44.98	£69.54
Return bus or train transfers from airport to city centre for 2 adults	£4.01	£3.69	£3.88	£5.14	£2.96
Top tourist heritage attraction	£3.67	£1.98	£11.20	£4.18	£2.96
Leading art gallery	£4.67	£2.91	£8.96	£4.18	£4.44
1 night 3* hotel accommodation (weekend) for 2 adults	£90.12	£53.22	£89.58	£89.44	£82.14
TOTAL COSTS	£129.23	£137.09	£153.92	£157.69	£172.52

�
�

Items	Istanbul Turkey	Geneva Switzerland	Stockholm Sweden	Oslo Norway	Copenhagen Denmark
Cup of coffeeBar/café	£2.65	£3.02	£2.06	£2.83	£3.26
Bottle of lagerBar/café	£3.53	£3.11	£4.02	£5.67	£3.91
Bottle/can of Coca-ColaBar/café	£1.76	£2.54	£2.24	£3.74	£3.26
Bottle of still mineral waterSupermarket	£0.44	£0.32	£1.07	£1.08	£1.04
Postcard and stamp to UK	£2.21	£1.46	£1.34	£1.93	£2.09
Pack (20) Marlboro Lights cigarettes	£2.21	£4.38	£4.38	£8.16	£4.17
3 course evening meal for 2 in a local restaurant (inc bottle of house wine)	£52.95	£66.68	£75.99	£79.35	£78.19
Return bus or train transfers from airport to city centre for 2 adults	£17.65	£7.62	£39.34	£42.62	£15.64
Top tourist heritage attraction	£8.82	£2.54	£8.49	£0.00	£11.08
Leading art gallery	£3.09	£5.08	£8.94	£0.00	£0.00
1 night 3* hotel accommodation (weekend) for 2 adults	£119.13	£123.84	£94.94	£106.55	£129.66
TOTAL COSTS	£214.44	£220.59	£242.81	£251.93	£252.30

Source:  Post Office. Data relates to 25 March 2009 exchange rates. 

² Post Office year-on-year currency comparison: 

Country	Percentage+/-2009 v 2008	Mar 25 2009	Mar 25 2008
Poland zloty	10.25	4.55	4.12
Turkey lira	0.55	2.27	2.25
Hungary forint	0.49	299.61	298.15
Sweden kroner	-2.76	11.19	11.50
Czech koruna	-7.26	26.79	28.89
Norway kroner	-10.24	8.82	9.83
Estonian kroon	-13.82	15.56	18.06
Latvia lats	-15.64	0.68	0.80
Denmark kroner	-15.66	7.67	9.10
Euro	-16.37	1.02	1.22
Switzerland franc	-17.19	1.57	1.90

 

³ Heritage attractions and leading art galleries suggested by tourist offices of participating countries: 

	Budapest Hungary	Warsaw Poland	Prague Czech Republic	Tallinn Estonia	Riga Latvia
Top tourist heritage attraction	Castle district: Matthias Church & Fisherman’s Bastion	Royal Castle	Prague Castle	Kadriorg Palace	Ethnographic Open Air Museum
Leading art gallery	Museum of Fine Arts	National Museum	National Gallery	KUMU  Art Museum	National Museum of Art

�

	Istanbul Turkey	Geneva Switzerland	Stockholm Sweden	Oslo Norway	Copenhagen Denmark
Top tourist heritage attraction	Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)	Cathedrale et Espace St Pierre	Vasa Museum	Vigeland Sculpture Park	Tivoli Gardens
Leading art gallery	Istanbul Modern Museum	Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art	National Museum	National Gallery	National Gallery

 

⁴ Post Office research into the cheapest weekend flight prices available for travel over the weekend of 24^th-26^th April at the time of research (March 2009).  Copenhagen had the lowest return fare of £41.98 (low cost carrier departing from Stansted).

Tags: Eurozone, Holiday, Holiday Transportation, Hotel, The Post Office, Travel

The Post Office has signed a five-year contract with DVLA that will allow drivers to renew their photocard driving licences using new, world-class technology, it was announced today.  

The enhanced service means that from next spring, selected Post Office branches will have a  dedicated counter position where drivers renewing the photograph on their ten-year licence will have their paperwork scanned into a computer, the driver’s picture will be taken, an electronic signature captured and the data sent immediately by secure electronic link to DVLA. DVLA will then check the application and post a new photocard licence to the driver.  

Alan Cook, the Post Office’s Managing Director, said: “We will be the first Post Office in the world to use groundbreaking technology for document and identity verification technology in this way and it puts us in a strong place to use the trusted Post Office brand, our unrivalled network and our experienced staff to bid for other major Government contracts.”  

The new DVLA agreement follows the key decision by the Government in November to renew the Post Office Card Account contract, retaining business crucial for the future of many branches. The Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise, Lord Mandelson, has also indicated the Government’s wish to see more Government business transacted in Post Office branches. 

The new technology will be installed in up to 750 Post Office branches around the country. Initially, the new technology in selected branches will be used for ten-year photocard renewal but it may be extended to include other driver transactions.  

The Post Office also announced today that Cogent, a company specialising in the supply of high security identification technology, has been awarded a contract to supply and install the new equipment to be used for the enhanced DVLA service.   

Mr Cook said: “We are putting a huge effort into equipping Post Office branches with a high-technology capability to handle transactions where strong proof of identity is needed.   

“This new service supports DVLA’s objectives to reduce paper, increase security and provide improved customer service. We’re delighted at the signing of the contract, as it will mean new work and new revenue for the Post Office – and it is great news for drivers as it offers them a faster and more convenient service while providing better value-for-money for DVLA.”   

Noel Shanahan, DVLA chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the Post Office to provide this more convenient service to drivers across the country, making it easier for them to renew their photocard driving licence. 

“This new arrangement builds on our excellent existing relationship with the Post Office which already supplies a range of DVLA services within local communities.”

Issued by Post Office Ltd 020 7250 2468 (24 hours)

148 Old Street

LONDON

EC1V 9HQ

www.postoffice.co.uk 

Notes to Editors  

1. The Post Office already provides a range of services for Government departments involving the verification of documents and the customer’s identity. These include:

• �
  • a “Check and Send” service for the Identity and Passport Service whereby passport applicants can have their application forms checked by a Post Office clerk to avoid the risk of errors and delays,
  • a “Check and Send” service for applicants for the European Health and Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by the Department of Health,
  • the DVLA Premier Check & Send service for driving licence applications.

1. Other services on behalf of Government departments and agencies can also be obtained at Post Office branches, including vehicle tax discs and Rod and Game licences. 
2. The Post Office will act as a data handler for the DVLA under the new service to be provided but at no time will personal data be held or retained by the Post Office. 
3. The Post Office offers more than 170 products and services to its customers. These include travel services, banking services, bill payments, telecoms products, mail services, gift vouchers, lottery products and licence applications. 

It is the biggest cash handler in the UK, the largest provider of foreign currency and the largest independent travel insurer in the UK, issuing more than one million policies each year.   

The Post Office is committed to free access to cash and now has more than 1900 fee-free ATMs installed in its network.  Current account customers of 12 UK banks can access their cash free at branches – a service covering more than 60 per cent of UK debit cardholders.  A further five banks across seven brands also allow basic bank account holders to access cash at branches.  More than £306 million is withdrawn, free of charge, over Post Office counters every year. 

In 2004, the Post Office linked up with the Bank of Ireland in a joint venture to offer a wider range of financial services including savings, insurance and lending.  Post Office Financial Services now has almost two million customers, making it one of the fastest growing financial services providers in the UK. 

Products offered through the joint venture include savings, insurance (car, motor, home, van, pet and motorcycle), credit cards, mortgages, personal loans, life insurance, over 50s funeral cover and income protection (Lifestyle Protection). 

 Sourced From http://www.quote-services.co.uk

Tags: Driving Licences, DVLA, Lord Mandelson, Noel Shanahan, The Post Office

You can ask the Post Office to forward your mail from your old address, anywhere in the UK (including British Forces and PO boxes) to your new one. This can last for anything from one month to two years so it applies whether you are moving permanently or just for a short time. You can have it redirected to anywhere in the UK or overseas.

Just pick up a redirection form and fill it in at least 5 days before you want redirection to start. You will need to provide:

• Two forms of recent original ID for each different surname at the same address
  • Two different utility bills (not mobile phone bills)
  • Bank or Building Society statement
  • Credit card statement

The Post Office is not able to redirect all mail. These are some exceptions

Mail from an address you haven’t lived at

Mail from a multi occupancy residence such as a hotel, guesthouse, nursing home or college

Mail from abroad

Social Services and other Benefits Mail

Business Mail (this has to be done separately)

Anything delivered by other couriers including Parcel Force

Overseas mail

Some services do not apply if you are having mail redirected abroad

Special delivery and recorded signed for items
Any item bigger than letter format over 25mm thick and

If you need to redirect mail from abroad you can arrange this by calling +44 1752 387 116

For redirecting mail from a business address you will just need to use a different application form ‘Moving Business’ also available from your Post Office

Two to four weeks before your redirection is due to expire, you will be contacted by post and given the opportunity to renew it. You can do this by post in the envelope provided or renew online. If you do not renew, your post will return to your old address.

If you have to move again, simply set up another redirection from your most recent address or cancel the first redirection and replace it with your new one.

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Sourced From http://www.quote-services.co.uk

Tags: Mail Redirection Service, Post, Postal Delivery, The Post Office

Since September last year, the Post Office has offered a freepost service to enable you to send mail to friends and family serving in Iraq and Afghanistan at no charge. This was then extended to wider destinations in November 2007 by the provision of a pre-Christmas free postage scheme.   

This applies only to named service personnel or entitled Ministry of Defense deployed civilians at the following BFPO numbers:  210, 221, 276, 368, 375, 434, 452, 632,  635, 639, 641, 661, 684, 715, 755, 758, 764, 767, 772, 792 

The free service applies to first class items weighing less than 2kg and excluding Special Delivery. In order to claim the free postage, you need to use the Post Office Counter and not the post boxes. Please conform to the usual BFPO restrictions regarding dimension and contents. The following items may not be sent. �

• Class 1: Explosives
• Class 2: Gases
  compressed, liquefied or dissolved under pressure
• Class 3: Flammable liquids
• Class 4: Flammable solids
• Class 5: Oxidising Substances and Organic Peroxides
• Class 6: Toxic and Infectious Substances
• Class 7: Radioactive Material
• Class 8: Corrosives
• Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
• Controlled Drugs
• Arms and Ammunition
• Counterfeit Currency and Postage Stamps
• Indecent or Obscene Articles
• Lottery Tickets

 This service cannot be used by commercial firms or support groups but is intended for the use of friends and family only.  

This service is in addition to the existing freepost services to hospitals that support the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Sourced from http://www.quote-services.co.uk

Tags: Armed Forces, Free Mail, Ministry of Defense, Postal Delivery, The Post Office

If you want to leave or re-enter the UK you will need your passport, it is accepted proof everywhere that you are British. You should keep it safe and allow plenty of time to apply or renew it because there are a number of very strictly applied rules regarding your application.

You can pick up an application form from your local Post Office.

First passport
Allow plenty of time to apply for your first passport because you will need to attend an interview. This will take about 30 minutes and its purpose is to confirm facts about you to ensure that there is no identity theft.

If you have previously had a child’s passport you can apply at any time without having to wait for your child’s passport to expire.

You will need to supply documents such as your birth certificate and your mother or father’s birth certificate to prove that you are British and born of British parents.

If you have changed your name through marriage or divorce you will need to provide your marriage or divorce certificate.

You will need two recent identical photographs. The rules are quite strictly applied. They need to be

45 mm high x 35 mm wide untrimmed

taken against an off-white, cream or light grey plain background

printed on low-gloss, plain white photo-quality paper

undamaged by marks, creases etc

nothing else in the photo

just head and shoulders, facing forwards

neutral expression

mouth closed

eyes visible, no glasses or hair over eyes

nothing covering face

no head covering other than for religious purposes

You will need to sign the application form yourself but also have it countersigned by someone unrelated to you and not living at the same address. It needs to be someone who has known you in a professional capacity for at least two years.

A new passport will take around 3 weeks. Certain Post Offices provide a Check and Send service that will reduce the time to 2 weeks. This service costs £7 but the Post Office will check and validate your application form and send it to the Passport Office by Special Delivery.
b) Renewing your passport

In addition to sending an application form, you will need to send your current passport with your application form along with two recent photographs.

If you need your passport urgently and are simply renewing it you can go to the passport where they can offer a Premium same day service for an additional fee. If you have allowed plenty of time you can renew by post.

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Sourced from http://www.quote-services.co.uk/

Tags: Passport, The Post Office, Travel, Travel Documents

Overview

Our history dates back to 1635, when Charles I opened up his private mail service to the general public. For the next 350 years, the General Post Office (from 1969 The Post Office Corporation) was a national institution, holding the monopoly in communication services.

General Facts

Post Office Ltd serves 24.4m customers a week
95% of the UK adult population visit in a year.
www.postoffice.co.uk received 14m unique users last year
Post Office is the UK’s leading independent provider of travel insurance
Post Office is the largest provider of foreign currency in the UK

Our Customers

Post Office Ltd serves 24.4 million customers a week who make 37 million visits and approximately 63million transactions. All socio-economic groups use the network, and 46% of customers who visit a Post Office branch at least once a week are in the higher social grades ABC1.

Consumers of this group are typically:

A – Older families (46-65) with no children under the age of 18
B – Young families (18-25) with children
C – Mature families (26-45) with children

Post Office is successful in these segments by meeting their needs of convenience and choice, value and quality service.

Our Values

The Post Office® is a vital part of many communities and provides essential services to millions of people in every corner of the country. As an institution, we’ve earned the trust of the British people and through decades of behind the counter service, we have become woven into the fabric of many lives.

Looking forward, our ambition is to remain central to the lives of our customers by being the UK’s most trusted provider of essential services. This will help our commitment to become a successful commercial organisation whilst retaining our social purpose and placing us actively on the side of our customers.

The Post Office business values were developed following extensive colleague and customer research. These describe Post Office Ltd products and services at their best now and point to where they all need to be in the future:

Fairer -transparent, on your side, for everyone
Easier-straightforward, helping hand, accessible
Better-responsible, right for you, good value

This difference is fundamental and straightforward: where most businesses are driven mainly by profit, the Post Office® is a business with a social purpose and exists to serve the people at a fair profit. In doing so, we are actively on the side of the people.

Advertising Campaign

October 2007 saw the launch of a new advertising campaign, which introduced fictional subpostmaster Ken and his team Jill, Ted and Amir. The campaign was created to help remind people why they love the Post Office whilst promoting the range of products and services that are now available. The campaign had an immediate impact, topping the advertising awareness charts in Marketing Week.

In May 2008, 60% of people were aware of any Post Office advertising. 30% of people were aware of Post Office advertising in newspapers and magazines, 10% were aware of adverts online and 30% in branches.

We have seen an 8% increase in the campaign reminding people that the Post office is ‘a much loved institution’.

Since the new campaign began there has been an 11% increase in associating the Post Office as a financial services provider.

Our Broadband ad was also voted top of the charts in the inaugural ‘listeners favourite’ poll on Virgin Radio

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The Instant Saver rate is currently one of the highest variable rates of interest on high street – and you can stay confident in Instant Saver because it will:

Match any increase in the Bank of England base rate until January 2010
Never fall more than 1% below the Bank of England base rate after January 2010 and for as long as you hold the account

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For More information on specific Banks use these links

• Alliance & Leicester
• Bank of Scotland
• Barclays
• Capital One
• Child Trust Fund
• First Direct
• HSBC
• Post Office
• Tesco Savings

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For all the best deals on Home, Car, Travel and Life Insurance, Credit Cards, Travel Money cards and Savings Accounts from The Post Office visit www.quoteservices.co.uk/

Tags: Bank of England, Banking, Broadband, Instant Saver, The Post Office, Travel Insurance

You want a good deal on car insurance – but don’t just go for the cheapest option. Here’s what to think about when choosing car insurance…

Everyone shops around for a cheap car insurance quote, but cheapest isn’t always best. Focus on finding the right car insurance for your circumstances. Ask yourself:

what level of car insurance cover do you need?

do you want any extras included in your car insurance?

how much excess can you afford to pay?

could you lower your car insurance premiums?

Car insurance: the different levels of cover

Third party car insurance is the most basic level of cover. You’re covered by your car insurance if you damage another car or injure someone in an accident. But you’re not covered for any damage to your own vehicle.

Third party, fire and theft car insurance also pays out if your car is lost, stolen or damaged by fire.

Comprehensive car insurance is the highest level of cover. If your car is damaged or written off in an accident, comprehensive car insurance will pay out.

Car insurance extras

Some extras may be free, but some are worth paying a little more for. Your car insurance could include cover for:

• driving abroad while on holiday
• vandalism
• storm damage
• windscreen repair or replacement
• car accessories and personal belongings
• personal accident and medical expenses
• breakdown and emergency call-out
• legal costs
• a courtesy car

The excess on your car insurance

When you claim on your car insurance, you usually have to pay a set amount of the claim yourself – known as the excess. This can range from nothing to a few hundred pounds.

Always check the excess before you buy car insurance.

Keep your car insurance premiums low: top tips

You can’t change your age or where you live, but you may lower your premium if you:

• fit an alarm or immobiliser to your vehicle
• keep your car in a garage overnight
• keep your annual mileage low
• pay your premium in one go rather than in instalments.

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For More information on specific Banks use these links

• Alliance & Leicester
• Bank of Scotland
• Barclays
• Capital One
• Child Trust Fund
• First Direct
• HSBC
• Post Office
• Tesco Savings

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For all the best deals on Home, Car, Travel and Life Insurance, Credit Cards, Travel Money cards and Savings Accounts from The Post Office visit www.quoteservices.co.uk/

Tags: Car Insurance, Insurance, The Post Office