Press release —
Post Office launches new concept stores to bring more services back to UK high streets
- Post Office Plus community hubs will provide spaces for trusted partners to bring face-to-face support to customers during important life moments.
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Post Office’s new concept stores open with founding partners, Utility Warehouse, Octopus Legacy and Good Things Foundation (sponsored by Amazon Web Services), offering a mix of face-to-face support services under one roof.
Post Office launches Post Office Plus, a new concept designed to bring trusted, face-to-face services back to UK high streets. The launch comes in response to consumer demand for more in-person support for important life moments.
Although more people are going online for answers around big life moments, many experience ‘information overload’ and are unsure who to trust – or what is right for them.
New research from Post Office highlights how face-to-face support matters more now than ever, with half of people saying they would be likely to use digital skills training (53%), energy switching services (49%), or will writing guidance (49%), if it were offered in-person in their local area.[1]
Branch Manager Sid Atwal at the preview for Post Office Plus. Photo credit: Doug Peters/PA Assignments.
The selected Post Office branches will transform into multi-service community hubs, bringing in partners on different days of the week to provide practical guidance designed to make important life moments easier. By combining Post Office’s trusted high street network with specialist partner expertise, the model will make support more accessible when it matters most.
New Post Office Plus concept launches in Derby City Post Office. Photo credit: Doug Peters/PA Assignments.
Founding partners include Utility Warehouse, Octopus Legacy, and Good Things Foundation, each bringing specialist support:
- Utility Warehouse, and its network of people around the UK, help customers save time and money by offering energy, mobile, and broadband together in one place.
- Octopus Legacy will help people put later-life plans in place, including wills, lasting power of attorney, trusts and estate planning.
- Good Things Foundation, sponsored by Amazon Web Services, will support people to build confidence online, from basic digital skills to internet safety and everyday online tasks.
The launch of the concept stores is a reminder of Post Office’s commitment to UK high streets. At a time when familiar services have disappeared from many town centres, growing Post Office’s presence and partner services boosts local economies by driving footfall and encouraging people to spend locally. Beyond economic impact, post offices remain central to community identity and pride, with half of UK consumers saying the presence of a local post office fosters a sense of belonging to the community.[2]
Postmasters and branch teams continue to be highly trusted by their communities, bringing essential local expertise and connections to their work, meaning they are well placed to host partners through the new Post Office Plus community hubs.[3]
Neil Brocklehurst, Chief Executive Officer, Post Office, said: “At a time when people increasingly want access to trusted face-to-face services close to home, Post Office, as the UK’s largest retail network, will help keep those essential services on the high street.
“Post Office Plus is designed to complement our existing branch network and gives partners space to offer valuable in-person support to customers at a location they trust.
“Post Office Plus will deliver tangible benefits for everyone involved - more support for customers, new opportunities for partners, and new revenue streams for postmasters.”
Post Office Minister Blair McDougall MP said: "This is an exciting new chapter for the Post Office and for our high streets, bringing trusted, face-to-face services under one roof so people can easily access the support they need for the moments that matter most.
"As set out in our response to the Green Paper on the Post Office, this Government is backing the Post Office to succeed, investing £500 million over the next two years to transform it into a modern, efficient business that remains at the heart of communities across the UK for decades to come."
The first two concept stores will begin operating this week in Barnsley and Derby. In time, each Post Office Plus location will provide services tailored to local community needs with different partners in branch on set days each week.
Post Office plans to rollout out more concept stores across the UK this year, with an ambition to scale across more sites to bring back services to local high streets.
Sid Atwal, Branch Manager, Derby City Post Office, said: “We’ve operated in Derby for more than six years, and one of the biggest changes we’ve seen is the decline of in-person services and places where people can access support.
“For many people here, being able to sit down with someone, ask questions and get guidance makes a real difference.
“Post Office Plus gives us a new way to respond to what customers are asking for locally, while showing how branches like ours can play an even bigger role on the high street.”
The Derby City Post Office team, Gee, Majid, Sid, Fareda and Jackie (L-R), prepare to welcome customers to the first Post Office Plus concept store ahead of its opening today, bringing together traditional postal and banking services with face-to-face support from partner organisations. Photo credit: Doug Peters/PA Assignments.
Michael Stanley, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Utility Warehouse, said: "Utility Warehouse has always run on community spirit, with our network of peoplehelping their friends, family and neighbours to save on their household bills. That’s why we are so proud to be a founding partner of Post Office Plus. By bringing our services right to the high street, we’re keeping things local and giving people real, friendly, face-to-face help. And the customers that we help to save on their household bills, will have a little more to spend with local businesses in their area. We've always believed in people helping people, and Post Office Plus is another way we're showing our communities that we’re in their corner."
Sam Grice, CEO & Founder of Octopus Legacy, commented: "So much of life is moving online and into AI. But some things still need a human. Planning for death, and finding support after someone dies, are among the most personal things any of us do. Most people would rather sit opposite a real person to work through them. Now they can, on their local high street, in a place they've trusted for generations. We're proud to be a founding partner of Post Office Plus."
James Muscat-Sharp, Director of Business Development & Partnerships, Good Things Foundation said: “Digital technology is vital for accessing essential services, yet for many, the barriers to getting online remain significant. By bringing our expert digital inclusion support into the heart of Post Office branches, we are meeting people where they are within their own communities. Sponsored by Amazon Web Services, this partnership offers a unique opportunity to provide the friendly, face-to-face guidance that helps people build the confidence they need to participate fully in today’s digital world.”
Ash Thankey, Managing Director and General Manager – UK, Germany and International Organisations, Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, said: "At AWS, we're committed to helping people across the UK to build digital skills. Through our sponsorship of Good Things Foundation, we're proud to play a role in helping communities across the UK to gain the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world — with Post Office Plus bringing that support directly to local high streets."
The launch of Post Office Plus is part of Post Office’s broader plans to build a more commercially focused business for operators. It responds to changing consumer and market demands, creates new revenue streams for the network, and ensures branches remain reliable anchors of local high streets across the UK.
For government, charities and businesses alike, Post Office Plus has the potential to become shared high street infrastructure that organisations can use to reach communities directly.
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Research and methodology
Post Office research suggests demand for local, in-person advice differs by life stage:
- Among 16-34-year-olds, the most appealing services were savings advice at 51%, financial skills training at 50% and digital skills training at 50%. In the same group, 37% said they would use face to face energy switching services.
- Among those aged 35-55, the strongest areas of demand were savings advice at 32% followed by digital skills training and pensions advice at 31%.
- Among people aged 55 and over, interest was highest in pensions advice at 18%, will writing at 15% and savings advice at 15%.
Source: Post Office Hot Topics - a representative online survey of c.2,000 UK consumers conducted by Dynata for Post Office in January 2026.
Post Office research demonstrates nearly three quarters (73%) of people trust the staff in their local Post Office branch and eight in 10 are satisfied with their last visit to branch.
Source: Post Office Brand Tracker - a representative online survey of c.2,000 UK consumers conducted by Dynata for Post Office in June 2026.
About Post Office
- Post Office operates the UK’s largest retail network – bringing essential services together under one roof, to help make everyday life easier for local communities.
- With over 11,500 branches serving 10 million customers each week, Post Office is uniquely placed to play a crucial role in helping local high streets thrive.
- Post Office is transforming its offering to continue to support postmasters, partners and customers - whether in person or online - providing parcels and mail, cash and banking services, foreign exchange, bill payments and government services like passports and driving licence applications.
- Cash remains essential for millions of people and businesses across the UK. Post Office’s ongoing partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit union brands means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
- Research shows that Post Office delivers £4.7 billion in economic value each year while 99.7% of the UK population live within three miles of a Post Office.
- The Post Office is undertaking a five-year Transformation Plan which will deliver an additional £250 million in remuneration each year for postmasters and partners. For further information, visit Post Office Corporate.
About Good Things Foundation
Good Things Foundation is the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity. We work to fix the digital divide at a hyperlocal level with our National Digital Inclusion Network - comprised of over 8,000 community partners providing a range of free digital inclusion support, such as:
- The National Databank, providing free mobile connectivity data;
- The National Device Bank, in partnership with Reconome, supplying free, refurbished devices to people in need;
- Learn My Way, our free flagship basic digital skills platform, widely used in libraries and supporting thousands to get online;
- and the AI Gateway, a new free, interactive learning platform designed to help demystify AI.
We work in partnership with organisations such as Virgin Media, O2, Vodafone, Three, Accenture, and Nominet to deliver at scale, and advocate for digital inclusion to fix the digital divide - for good.
Good Things Foundation believes everyone should have the confidence, skills, support and access to use digital technology, participate in society and benefit from the digital world. For more information on Good Things Foundation visit http://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/
About Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse gives you all your essential home services—energy, mobile, broadband, and insurance—in one simple bill and one account. You can also get our Cashback Card to bag extra savings when you shop at retailers across the UK. We’re the only utility supplier truly in your corner, offering discounts on your energy when you take multiple services. We reach our new customers through our network of Partners who live and work right in your local communities, helping their neighbours, friends, even the local football coach save money on their bills.
Utility Warehouse is the trading name of Telecom Plus PLC, a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: TEP), registered in England, company number 3263464. Utility Warehouse Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of its insurance distribution and credit broking activities. Registered in England, company number 4594421.
About Octopus Legacy
Octopus Legacy is one of the UK's largest estate planners, having helped over one million people plan for death and find support after someone dies. They bring everything together in one place: wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney and life insurance, as well as probate and practical and emotional bereavement support.
Sam Grice founded the company in 2016, after his mum died suddenly in a car accident. What followed was an overwhelming to-do list of paperwork and legal admin, all while he was trying to grieve. He built Octopus Legacy so other families didn't have to go through the same chaos, giving them the space to focus on what really matters in one of life's toughest moments.
Today, as a proud part of the Octopus Group, Octopus Legacy is on a mission to rebuild the way the world deals with death: helping people plan, protect and pass on their legacy. It takes cold, complicated processes and makes them human, helping people share more than just money: voice notes, words of advice, recipes and more.
Octopus Legacy's award-winning service is rated 4.9 on Trustpilot: octopuslegacy.com
