Older people are at a disadvantage if they switch their pensions payments from the post office to the bank.

An elderly Family Money reader recently changed to the bank because the local branch was closer to her home.

After spending a holiday with a relation she was dismayed to find two, rather than the expected three, payments in her bank account.

As an individual relying on a fixed income she was quite distressed that she was not informed of the change in the timing of the payments.

When using the post office, the reader's pension was paid in advance yet bank transactions are made in arrears. Also, the bank payment is made every fortnight rather than every week, she claims.

Several phone calls by both the woman and her son to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs failed to produce a satisfactory answer.

Strangely, the son discovered that pensioners using a bank account will receive their final payment a week after they die.

Our reader asks if the advance/arrears situation is due to bank requirements or departmental regulations.

Family Money found that the Department pays its customers in a variety of ways. These include payments using swipe cards (such as unemployment payments), and personalised payable orders encashable at post offices, payments by cheque and electronic fund transfer (EFT) to personal accounts at banks or other financial institutions.

The Department says the majority of payments are made through An Post with certain payments made in advance of the due date and others in arrears. EFT payments are normally payable in arrears.

A spokeswoman said: "For operational reasons, the timing of payments vary from scheme to scheme. All aspects (including timing arrangements) are kept under review, and improved where possible."