The government will encourage the Post Office to raise public awareness of its banking services available across its network, according to this week’s Budget documents.

As part of a strategy to support competition in banking, the government said it would “ask Post Office Limited and UK Finance to raise public awareness of the banking services available at the Post Office, both for personal customers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)”. 

A Post Office spokeswoman said: “We welcome the government’s support of our work to raise awareness of the everyday banking services available at our 11,600 Post Office branches. We look forward to working closely with UK Finance and its member banks as they highlight the Post Office as a trusted place where their customers can access their usual bank account.”

However, the government is yet to confirm its funding of the postal network and safeguard the future of rural services, which Citizens Advice has called for as a matter of urgency.

An official decision on funding the postal network has not been confirmed by ministers, almost a year after its public consultation closed in December 2016.

Its existing agreement with Post Office Limited is due to end in 2018.