French postmen will fill in tax forms they deliver

FRENCH postmen are to be asked to not only deliver tax forms but to help their recipients fill them out from next month.

It is the latest scheme developed by the state-owned post office to broaden its services and generate revenue as email increasingly replaces “snail mail”. But tax officials, members of the public and even many post office staff are concerned that postmen, who are being given only six hours of training, are not qualified to submit tax forms.

The service will cost about €50 (£45), but tax officials pointed out that staff who have completed a six-week course are available free of charge at French tax offices to help fill out forms.

Postal workers also act as driving theory test examiners and are increasingly being asked to take over some responsibilities of social workers by checking on the welfare of old people living alone as they make their rounds.

Anne Guyot-welke, a public finance workers’ union spokesman, said: “The post office will put in place incompetent people who risk making mistakes.”