The Treasury Minister has insisted everything is being done to ensure MiCard users will be able to access benefits once the system ends on January 31.

The issues around ending the MiCard system, which allows recipients to collect government benefits and state pensions in cash at post office branches, has dominated House of Keys and Tynwald debates in recent months.

It was due to stop on December 21, 2025 but was extended to New Year’s Eve in a bid to ensure no one is left without access to cash.

At last month’s Tynwald sitting, Chief Minister Alfred Cannan successfully put forward a resolution to allow those who cannot access a bank account to continue using MiCard after the cut-off date.

At this week’s House of Keys sitting, Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse raised the issue once again.

Dr Allinson said: ‘A number of planned outreach work streams have taken place over the past few weeks, which include letters, contact by telephone, and drop-in sessions at Markwell house, where customers have received support in opening basic bank accounts.

‘Following these activities, we expect at least 261 forms will be returned over next week, which will enable customers to transfer the payment of their benefits from MiCard onto the payments into their existing bank accounts.

‘In those cases where an individual is unable to open or use a regular or basic bank account, they will be issued with a new MiCard to operate from January 1, 2026 onwards.

‘Treasury will continue to develop long-term methods of payment of benefits and pensions to users without access to bank accounts and will report back to Tynwald in no later than six months.

‘Once we know the exact needs of those users and the geographical location, we'll be working with the post office to provide them with access to cash, either through cheque or a new MiCard that will be issued to them.’

Dr Allinson said his department is continuing to work with the Post Office to help those who have been unable to open a back account, due to issues such as having no photo ID. He said sessions are ongoing to provide advice to those affected.

He said: ‘We have been working with all benefit recipients over the last 12 months, in terms of those people we cannot who have not contacted us after receiving letter, we I have phoned every single MiCard recipient.

‘We have dealt with a large number of them already. We will continue those phone calls, and as I've said, where necessary, we will also arrange visits to those people who we can't reach by either phone or letter, to make sure that they receive their benefits in the right way.

‘In terms of the people who we've contacted, a large number of people have already switched to using their existing bank accounts.

‘Over 261 people are expected to return the forms, and around about 20 people have arranged appointments already to go to banks to open accounts. We've worked with banks over the last couple of months to look at other ways that they can validate people's identity by using other methods of photo ID

As of last month, 843 people were still relying on the service, although 118 of those also receive some benefits into a bank account.