The SNP say the figures, revealed in a recent House of Commons Library paper, should prompt a “categorical” commitment to the needs of rural and island communities in new reforms being pushed through by the UK Government.
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Last week saw the publication of the Green Paper on the future of the Post Office by the Department for Business and Trade.
It sets out the UK Government’s proposals to “reimagine the role of Post Office to ensure it continues to meet the evolving needs of our society.”
It is the first comprehensive review of the service in 15 years.
At present, the UK Government has a requirement that there are at least 11,500 branches across the UK, and that 99% of the total UK population and 95% of the rural population are within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet.
It is seeking views on three options: maintaining the current requirements; retaining the geographical criteria while removing the minimum branch requirement; or scrapping both and introducing new rules “to target local areas with insufficient service provision”
The Green Paper also discusses “outreach branches”, typically provided by a mobile Post Office van or hosted in a village hall or other community setting.
In 2000, outreaches made up less than 1% of the Post Office network but, as of April 2025, accounted for around 14%.
The document notes that these branches “can provide a lifeline to rural and vulnerable communities (such as remote island communities in Scotland where there can often be no host retailers for a typical Post Office branch).”
However, the government states that “the most community value comes from permanent Post Office branches co-located with a wider retail offer” and recognises that outreach branches offer more limited value to communities.
SNP MP Graham Leadbitter said: “Let’s be absolutely clear, Westminster is effectively closing branches in Scotland and reopening them in England – when it comes to the Post Office, Westminster simply doesn’t deliver for Scotland.
“London Post Office numbers are soaring yet in Scotland we face the steepest decline in the UK – the categorical failure to support the needs of rural and island communities will hit Scottish communities hard and it’s yet more evidence that to get first class treatment from Westminster, don’t live in Scotland.
“We know the centre of Westminster’s focus is London, but Scotland’s rural and island communities deserve the same access to Post Offices as those living south of the Border – our country needs people who will put Scotland’s interests first and that’s something the SNP will always do.
“Time and time again Scots are forced to contend with Westminster governments that treat Scotland as an afterthought. It’s no wonder more and more Scots are asking the question: how long do we stay tied to this so-called union of equals?”
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The Post Office has faced significant commercials challenges in recent years, notably the rise of digital banking, shopping and access to services.
Weekly customer sessions at Post Office branches decreased by 34% between 2007 and 2024, with a particularly pronounced decline in rural areas since 2019.
Despite this, certain services like parcel pick-up and drop-off, and banking, have seen significant increases.
In the Green Paper, the Government say they inherited a Post Office “in crisis” with a “grim past, a poor commercial track record and unstable leadership”, particularly in light of the Horizon scandal, described as “the most widespread miscarriage of justice” by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
The paper states that nearly half of all Post Office branches are unprofitable or only marginally profitable for postmasters.
The Post Office has relied on continuous government funding, receiving around £3 billion between 2012 and March 2024.
Ministers says this level of reliance on taxpayer funding is unsustainable .
A DBT spokesperson said: “We know how important Post Offices are to the high streets and rural communities across Scotland, but after 15 years of inaction without a proper review and in the aftermath of the Horizon scandal, it’s clear we need a fresh vision for the future.
“The launch of our Green Paper marks the start of an honest conversation about what people want and need from their Post Office in the years ahead so we can ensure communities across the UK have access to the services they need.”
