Mum forced to open bank account to receive pension

squirrelpie wrote: »

I'm in my mid sixties and I happily use online banking and use ATMs to get cash. But I still go into the branch to pay in cheques and do some other things, simply to increase footfall in the branch and reduce the likelihood of it closing. And I don't use telephone banking because I hate telephones, especially robot systems.


As others have said, it seems to be the easiest and best course for the OP's mother is to open a bank account with whichever bank is most convenient (or with whichever bank or building society has the philosophy she finds least objectionable) and then use it just like her post office account at the post office counter.

I prefer online to phone

atush wrote: »

lines are Very short now for the reg tills.

I wish...:rotfl:

I had just one packet of Linda McCartney sausages in Iceland today, there was one check-out open, and the woman just starting to put her shopping through had one of those huge trollies full to the brim. I'm afraid the sausages went back in the freezer and I headed for Tesco. I wish Iceland had self-service bays.

I am 74, my wife 73. We have a joint account and can access online banking via this desktop or my wife uses her laptop. I can also use phone apps, but my wife will not do that. In the case of our parents: her dad ran all the finances, which proved to be a problem when FIL passed first. MIL had no clue what to do and had to move from the large bungalow in order to be near her closest offspring, eldest daughter, who wound up applying for and 'getting' PoA, with her mum's permission.

My parents had a different situation: dad was a miner, mum the home keeper. Dad tipped up and mum "saved" by, as I discovered when dad retired, putting all the money in a big envelope at the bottom of the blanket chest. When I found this out, they were receiving quite a good income: 2x State pensions, dad's NCB and NUM pensions and a good sum in what was called "Hardship" and is now DLA or PIP, for a severe injury. I spoke with my niece who was working in a bank and she setup an account for them, which began with a healthy sum from the big brown envelope. The only cash they drew each week, was from their state pensions, from the village PO. Some of that, wound up in the bank anyway. I set up DD's for most things and an S.O. for the rent of their Senior's Social Housing flat. They had a cheque book and I insisted that both let me teach them how to use it and post cheques, although dad was all "Your mam did all that!" - eventually he took to banking better than mum, sending off cheques for their holidays and whatever else they fancied.

All goes to show that old people are like anyone else: all individuals with differing ways of handling their lives. OP: in my village, which has no PO, there are many old people, some in their late 80's and 90's. They have setup bank accounts, a few have cheque books but most have bank cards. A mobile PO calls twice a week to two locations and those who need it go there to withdraw cash. The two who had a Barclays account have taken steps to switch, with help from families. Why not find out if there is a mobile PO for your mum's situation?