Scottish convenience stores are playing a key role in enabling customers and communities to access key government benefits and payments through payment solutions offered by PayPoint, new data reveals.
Housing and local authority payments figures collected by PayPoint highlight that more than £431m has been processed over the past three years, across more than 3,000 stores in Scotland. Trends also indicate that 26.2% of those transactions happen before 9am and after 5pm, the earliest transaction is between midnight and 1am, and the latest transaction is between 11pm and midnight. Meanwhile, 19.33% of total transactions happen on a Saturday or Sunday.
The figures show that over £23m has been distributed for the DWP Payment Exception Service since launching last August in more than 2,200 stores in Scotland. Trends show that 10.2% of those transactions happen before 9am and after 5pm and 5% of total transactions happen on a Saturday or Sunday. The earliest transaction happened between 6am and 7am, latest transaction between 9pm and 10pm.
SGF Chief Executive Dr Pete Cheema said: “Scottish convenience stores are at the heart of their communities providing key services to their customers, 7 days a week and this is clearly borne out by the latest data collected by PayPoint. Local shops, as the data shows, are able to help facilitate the mass distribution of government benefits in a quick and easily accessible way to those who need it most.
Independent Convenience stores are core community assets and are the “glue” in social and economic community building. They are owned and run by local people who care about the positive impact they can make to their local area.”
PayPoint Corporate Affairs & Marketing Director, Steve O’Neill, said: “Our retailer partners have always done a fantastic job delivering vital community services for people across Scotland. This is even more important now as they help deliver important Cost of Living support services, including the Energy Bills Support Scheme launching this week.”
