UOB, in a partnership with SingPost, is extending its HDB Home Loans' distribution network beyond its 57 branches.

For a start, UOB HDB Home Loans will be available at four SingPost post offices at Hougang, Tampines, Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh Central.

There are plans to have up to 24 such post office branches by the end of the year, in order to provide heartlanders with another convenient channel when seeking the loan.

UOB's executive vice president for personal financial services, Eddie Khoo, said: 'Over the long term, we see this as a valuable investment on our part as customers will now have an additional channel to shop for their HDB Home Loan.

'At the macro level, and in the longer term, we see this as a strategic investment as this additional channel enables us to serve our customers better through convenience and assessibility.

'This is similar to our recent effort where we brought ATMs closer to our customers by placing them at MRT stations and 7-Eleven convenience stores at Shell petrol stations,' he said.

SingPost's executive vice president for retail and financial services, Loh Choo Beng, said: 'We are happy to make our foray into the HDB home loan distribution market through this collaboration with UOB, a well-trusted and established brand. UOB and SingPost share a common philosophy of creating value for our customers.'

SingPost presently offers a suite of financial services at its post offices, including insurance products, personal loans, remittance and pawnbroking services.