BRIEFING PAPER Number 06763, 1 December 2020 By Niamh Foley Lorraine Conway Postal Services Antony Seely Lorna Booth Contents: 1. Overview of UK postal services 2. Common problems 3. Regulation of postal services 4. The letters market 5. Stamp prices 6. The parcels market 7. Performance of Royal Mail Annex: Postal Services Act 2011 www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library |
[email protected] | @commonslibrary 2 Postal Services Contents Summary 4 1. Overview of UK postal services 5 1.1 Main operators 5 Royal Mail Group 5 Post Office 6 Other postal operators 6 1.2 Regulators 6 UK Government (Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) 6 Ofcom 7 Citizens Advice 7 POSTRS 8 1.3 Unions 8 2. Common problems 9 2.1 Receiving post 9 ‘Something for you’ cards 9 Receiving someone else’s post 9 Redirecting your post to your new address 9 Receiving nuisance or junk mail 10 Receiving damaged or unwanted goods 10 2.2 Sending post 11 Changes to collection times at post boxes 11 Lost mail 11 Prohibited items in the post network 11 Royal Mail’s Parcel Collect service 12 2.3 Postcodes 12 Finding out what your postcode is 12 Changing your postcode or address 12 2.4 Making a complaining about postal services 13 Complaining about Royal Mail 13 Complaining about a company other than Royal Mail 14 2.5 Parcel and letter deliveries during the coronavirus (Covid19) pandemic 14 3. Regulation of postal services 15 3.1 The universal postal service 15 Regulatory conditions placed upon Royal Mail 16 3.2 Regulatory conditions placed on other postal operators 16 4.