Postal workers could be paid to check on the elderly

Postal workers could be paid to check up on elderly people during their rounds under new plans proposed by union members.

Delivering prescriptions could also become the responsibility of Royal Mail staff under measures designed to widen their duties and create additional revenues.

The idea has been put forward by the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which has around 110,000 members, with similar schemes adopted elsewhere in Europe.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU, said he floated the suggestion to the Royal Mail to “build on our biggest advantage” which he expressed as “trust on the doorstep”.

He told The Sunday Times: “There is something secure about seeing a postal worker coming down the street.

“Postal workers already do a lot of work for their community voluntarily, including helping with deliveries for food banks, so it would be formalising some of these things.

“We would also like to see them integrating with some of the UK’s leading pharmacies to deliver prescriptions.”

In France, postal firm La Poste offers home checks for elderly and vulnerable residents for about £17 a month, which includes one weekly visit from their regular postman or woman.