The network of almost 12,000 locations could play a role in supporting a wide range of public services, as well as helping people with digital tools and electronic identity credentials
A newly convened group of representatives from across government is exploring the possibility that Post Office branches could serve as a “common physical front-end” for accessing state services and supporting citizens in the use of digital platforms.
The government recently issued its formal response to a public consultation that took place last year, seeking feedback on the future of the Post Office.
The response, published by the Department for Business and Trade, says that “we acknowledge the frustration that some postmasters feel about previous decisions to withdraw some government services from the Post Office, as services – and consumers – have increasingly moved online”.
As part of a desire “to look forwards rather than backwards”, the government said that the consultation had enabled it to identify “three opportunities worth exploring further”.
The first of these is whether the Post Office could become “a common physical front-end for government services to standardise requirements and ensure there is a ‘go-to’ place for a range of government services”.
The second opportunity lies in the possibility that the network of about 11,600 locations – a tally which the government has committed to maintain at more-or-less current levels – could play a greater “role in supporting individuals who are not digitally confident to use digital services”.
The final opportunity is “whether proposals for new services, including prescription pick-up services and an enhanced role in providing verification services, should be explored further”.
This last area ties in with other recent technological developments in government, the consultation response notes.
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“In particular, the Post Office could play a role in the new digital ID scheme announced by the prime minister in September 2025, building upon the role Post Office already has in providing in-branch verification to GOV.UK’s One Login which provides access to a wide range of government services,” it adds.
The Post Office already offers an in-person identity-verification process for those wishing to register for a One Login account but unable to do so online.
Announcing the response to the consultation – which attracted more than 2,500 responses – and the exploration of possible future expansion of the Post Office’s remit, small business minister Blair McDougall said that “a cross-government group has been established to take this forward”.
This group will be led by DBT and will provide updates on its work and findings “in due course”.
“Our long-term ambition is a financially sustainable Post Office that remains a trusted presence in communities across the UK,” McDougall added, in a written parliamentary statement. “Decisions on long-term governance models will be taken only after the conclusion of the Horizon IT Inquiry. In the meantime, the government will work with the Post Office to ensure financial discipline, progress towards positive trading profit by 2030, and protection of access for the communities that rely on it. This response sets a clear direction: a stable, modern and resilient Post Office, fit for the future and shaped by the people it serves.”
