Post Office and Payzone networks to become exclusive bill payments provider for British Gas

• New long-term bill payment contract signed with British Gas

• All British Gas customers can pay bills and top up prepaid meters at any Post Office and Payzone location from 1 January 2020

• The contract win will drive footfall to Post Office and Payzone retailers

A new, exclusive long-term contract has been awarded to Payzone Bill Payments Limited, part of Post Office Group, enabling all over-the-counter bill payment services for British Gas customers to be serviced at Post Office branches and Payzone stores across the UK.

The contract with British Gas, the largest UK energy and home services company, will roll out from 1 January 2020, meaning that from the start of next year the Post Office and Payzone will become the exclusive bill payments provider networks for British Gas and Scottish Gas customers.

The Post Office is the largest retail network in the UK with 11,500 branches, and following its 2018 acquisition of Payzone’s 13,000-strong terminal network, the combined businesses now have significantly greater UK coverage; often in locations underserved by other consumer facing businesses.

Customers can already pay their British Gas bills and top up their prepay meters in the Post Office branches. However, the new contract means customers will be able to undertake all over-the-counter bill payment services at any one of the Post Office and Payzone’s 24,000 locations.

The new British Gas contract win will help drive footfall to both Payzone retailers and Post Office branches.

British Gas is the second significant contract win since Post Office’s acquisition of the Payzone bill payment business. In May 2019 the combined networks won the contract for Scottish Power’s smart meter top ups.

Debbie Smith, Post Office Retail Chief Executive, said: “This is fantastic news and we’re delighted to continue building on our long and successful relationship with British Gas. Now customers will be able to visit around 24,000 Post Office and Payzone locations to top up their prepay meters and pay their gas and electricity bills. This is also great news for our postmasters and partners who deliver vital services in our branches and Payzone outlets across the country. They will see more customers coming through their doors as they come in to make their regular payments.”

Andrew Goddard, Managing Director, Payzone Bill Payments Limited, said: “The new contract with British Gas, hot on the heels of our first contract win for Scottish Power smart metering, is brilliant news for Post Office and Payzone retailers alike. I am delighted that we have continued to strengthen our partnership with British Gas. Our appointment demonstrates the breadth and depth of our reach, and the value we provide to clients and their customers, and shows how we can drive customers to the Payzone and Post Office networks.”

Amanda Reynolds, Partnerships Director at British Gas, said: “We are pleased to announce a new long-term contract that will benefit our customers who choose to pay their bills or top up their pre-payment meters over the counter. These customers will now be able to top up in Payzone locations – and still also be able to do so in their local Post Office – with over 24,000 locations in total.”

ENDS

Issued by:

Post Office Press Office

20 Finsbury Street

LONDON, EC2Y 9AQ

Tel: 07436 038445 or 020 7012 3456 (24 hours),

Email: pressoffice@postoffice.co.uk www.postoffice.co.uk

Notes to editors:

About Post Office and Payzone Bill Payments Limited:

• With 11,500 branches, the Post Office is the largest retail network in the UK, while Payzone Bill Payments Limited has around 13,000 payment outlets. Together, the two networks will provide around 24,000 locations at which customers can pay their household bills quickly and conveniently.
• Post Office purchased Payzone Bill Payments Limited from Payzone UK Limited in October 2018. Payzone Bill Payments Limited is based in Northwich, as a subsidiary business, and employs around 80 people.
• Payzone Bill Payments Limited provides the bill payment services for both networks and offers customers a range of Bill Payment services for Telecoms, Energy, Water and Housing plus Transport Ticketing and much more through a network of Convenience retailers.
• Post Office sells 170 different products and services spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards; Government services; telephony; foreign currency; travel insurance and mail services.
• Post Office is the UK’s largest fee free cash withdrawal network through our 11,500 branches, and over 2,000 ATMs and 99 per cent of UK bank customers can access their accounts at the Post Office.

About British Gas:

• British Gas is Britain’s leading supplier of energy, delivering to more than 10 million homes in Britain and more than 400,000 businesses. We offer the highest quality services to both UK homes and businesses, provided by more than 8,000 highly-trained engineers. We also provide a range of innovative products and services including smart meters, connected home products by Hive™, and the on-demand, online tradesman service, Local Heroes.