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Changes during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak

Post offices are one of the few outlets ​permitted to remain open​, despite strict curbs placed on shops by the government, however Many post offices have reduced their ​opening hours. The Post Office advise to check their Branch Finder to see branch opening times before you visit.

Particular post offices may be eligible for general government support for businesses. For more in formation on this, please see the Library briefing Support for businesses during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. The Welsh Government have a page setting out support for businesses in Wales.

The latest details were set out in a press release from the Post Office – Post Office press releases can be found here

As of March 2020, there are 11,638 branches in the Post Office network. In the year to March 2020 the total number of post offices in the UK stayed the same.

Since around 2009 the number of post offices in the UK has remained reasonably consistent. Over the longer term (since the early 1980s) the number of post offices has almost halved.

On the 23rd March, the government announced strict curbs on businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic. Post offices are one of the few outlets ​permitted to remain open​ during periods of lockdown. Despite this, data shows that the number of open post offices fell by 651 (6%) from March to April 2020, to 10,987.

Post Office Ltd, which owns and runs the Post Office Network, was separated from Royal Mail Group Ltd on 1 April 2012. In return for a package of Government funding for transformation and modernisation, the Post Office committed to investing in the network, and maintaining around 11,500 branches. Further details about Post Office Ltd are given in the Library Note The Post Office.

In November 2020, the government announced the Post Office would receive a £227 million investment.

Further information on post offices in each constituency

A full list of Post offices by constituency has been made available to the Library by the Post Office Ltd, since 2002. These lists are copyrighted to the Post Office and for that reason the Library is only able to provide them to Members and their staff.

A table with the numbers of post offices by constituency Post offices by constituency is available via the Parliamentary intranet only.

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