Top News

Post offices are the heartbeat of our communities - we must protect them

Reach Daily Express | February 25, 2026 7:39 AM CST

In recent months, the Express has championed a cause that millions of people across this country will share: that local post offices aren't just a shop, but a community lifeline. It's where you send a parcel for your granddaughter's birthday, submit your passport for renewal, and manage your finances when the banks are packing up and leaving. It is, in the truest sense, the heartbeat of our high streets and communities.

So, to the Express for its hard-fought campaign, and to its readers, postmasters and everyone else who made their voice heard through our Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office, thank you. Your feedback chimed with everything this Government has believed since day one: that a strong Post Office is one that puts serving the British people first.

I am confirming that the minimum requirement of 11,500 Post Office branches will be maintained across the country. Unlike what we have seen in many other public services with past governments, we are saying no to managed decline and a resounding yes to investing in the future of our communities.

Over £480 million will be invested to transform the Post Office into a modern, efficient and stable business - upgrading technology, improving services, and making it easier than ever for people to access the banking, parcels and everyday services they depend on.

This investment is about making sure the Post Office works for ordinary people who rely on it every single day across the UK, including those collecting their driving licence, people returning clothes that they've ordered and small business owners depositing cash locally.

As further commitment to the Post Office's future, we are introducing new requirements that ensure a minimum number of branches must be full-time and full-service, meaning you can get the full range of services you need.

By protecting post offices now, we are keeping a promise to every community that their high street still matters and that this Government will always be on their side.