Post Office "change card"

[Sue]

I bank with First Direct, and since HSBC no longer has a branch in East Dulwich, I use the Post Office if I need to physically use a bank, eg paying cash in. They have an arrangement with First Direct.

I have always used them to change notes to coins if I need to, for the float for our gigs. I've never had any problems before.

This Friday we have our first concert since before lockdown, and I went to get some pound coins for the float.

I was told that I couldn't do this unless I had a "change card", and I would need to go to the bank.

Luckily Barclays (who I have never had an account with) kindly did this for me, otherwise I would have needed to go to the HSBC branch in Peckham.

When i got home, I phoned First Direct, who said they have never heard of a "change card", and that they didn't provide one.

Can anybody shed any light on this apparently new Post Office requirement? What is a "change card", and how do I get one?

ETA: I've just googled it. Apparently you now have to have an HSBC business account to get change.

I now realise what I should have done is just withdraw cash at the counter and ask for it in pound coins. I'm sure they would have been delighted.