Law

Postal Services Act 2000

United Kingdom · statute

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In force since 2024-04-01, as the publisher states.

Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

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Contents: 150 provisions
  1. Title and introductory text
  2. 1 The Postal Services Commission.
  3. 2 The Consumer Council for Postal Services.
  4. 3 Duty of the Commission to ensure provision of a universal postal service.
  5. 4 Provision of a universal postal service: meaning.
  6. 5 Other duties of the Commission in the consumer interest.
  7. 6 Restriction on provision of postal services.
  8. 7 Exceptions from section 6.
  9. 7A
  10. 8 Power to modify section 7 by order.
  11. 9 General power to suspend the restriction.
  12. 10 Emergency power to suspend the restriction.
  13. 11 Licences: general.
  14. 12 Licences: grant.
  15. 12A Licences: refusal
  16. 12B Licences: determination of applications
  17. 13 Licences: conditions and other provisions.
  18. 14 Modification of licences by agreement.
  19. 15 References to the Competition Commission.
  20. 15A References under section 15: time limits
  21. 15B References under section 15: application of Enterprise Act 2002
  22. 16 Reports on references.
  23. 16A Reports on references under section 15: further provision
  24. 17 Modification following report.
  25. 18 Power of intervention of the Competition Commission.
  26. 19 Procedural requirements in relation to modifications.
  27. 19A Sections 18 and 19: further provision
  28. 20 Application of competition legislation to references etc.
  29. 21 Modification by order under other enactments.
  30. 22 Final orders.
  31. 23 Provisional orders.
  32. 24 Confirmation of provisional orders.
  33. 25 Exceptions from duty to make or confirm enforcement orders.
  34. 26 Enforcement orders: main procedural requirements.
  35. 27 Enforcement orders: further procedural requirements.
  36. 28 Validity of enforcement orders.
  37. 29 Effect of enforcement orders.
  38. 30 Financial penalties.
  39. 31 Statement of policy in relation to penalties.
  40. 32 Imposition of penalties: main procedural requirements.
  41. 33 Penalties: further procedural requirements.
  42. 34 Time-limits on the imposition of penalties.
  43. 35 Interest and payments by instalment.
  44. 36 Appeals.
  45. 37 Recovery of penalties.
  46. 38 Register.
  47. 39 Recovery of costs of the Council etc.
  48. 39A Licences and the new arrangements
  49. 40 Directors’ remuneration.
  50. 41 Free services for the blind and partially sighted.
  51. 42 Duties in relation to public post offices.
  52. 43 Duties in relation to social and environmental matters.
  53. 44 Review and information.
  54. 45 Annual and other reports: the Commission.
  55. 46 Publication of information and advice: the Commission.
  56. 47 Power of the Commission to require information.
  57. 48 Information powers: enforcement.
  58. 49 Powers of entry and seizure.
  59. 50 Codes of practice.
  60. 51 Relevant postal issues.
  61. 52 Provision of advice and information to public authorities and licence holders.
  62. 53 Publication of information to users.
  63. 54 Exercise of functions: general.
  64. 55 Annual and other reports: the Council.
  65. 56 Complaints referred to the Council.
  66. 57 Power of the Council to investigate other matters.
  67. 58 Power of the Council to require information.
  68. 59 Provision of information by the Council to the Commission.
  69. 60 Memorandum of understanding.
  70. 61 Forward work programmes.
  71. 61A Information relating to complaints handling standards
  72. 62 Transfer of property etc. to nominated company.
  73. 63 Power to direct issue of certain securities etc
  74. 64 Government investment in securities of certain companies.
  75. 65 Restriction on issue of shares to third parties.
  76. 66 Restriction on disposals of shares to third parties.
  77. 67 Approved disposals.
  78. 68 Loans by the Secretary of State to relevant companies.
  79. 69 Guarantees by the Secretary of State for relevant companies.
  80. 70 Extinguishment of certain liabilities.
  81. 71 Limit on loans and other arrangements with government.
  82. 72 Reserves of relevant companies.
  83. 73 Statutory accounts of the original holding company.
  84. 74 Further provisions relating to the capital structure of certain relevant companies.
  85. 75 Dissolution of the Post Office.
  86. 76 Accounts of the Secretary of State in relation to loans.
  87. 77 Publicity requirements for certain accounts and reports ....
  88. 78 Information requirements on certain relevant companies.
  89. 79 Exercise of functions through nominees.
  90. 80 Shadow directors.
  91. 81 Tax.
  92. 82 Interpretation: Part IV.
  93. 83 Interfering with the mail: postal operators.
  94. 84 Interfering with the mail: general.
  95. 85 Prohibition on sending certain articles by post.
  96. 86 Prohibition on affixing advertisements on certain letter boxes etc.
  97. 87 Prohibition on misleading descriptions.
  98. 88 Obstruction of business of universal service providers.
  99. 89 Schemes as to terms and conditions for provision of postal services.
  100. 89A Powers of OFCOM in relation to schemes
  101. 90 Exclusion of liability.
  102. 91 Limited liability for postal packets.
  103. 92 Section 91: supplementary.
  104. 93 Power to modify sections 89 to 92.
  105. 94 Power to require carriage of mail-bags by ship or aircraft.
  106. 95 Power to acquire land etc.
  107. 96 Immunity from prosecution.
  108. 97 Harbour charges on mail-bags.
  109. 98 Mail-bags not to be subject to control by harbour authorities.
  110. 99 Common carriers.
  111. 100 Certain exemptions from postage etc.
  112. 101 Directions in interests of national security etc.
  113. 102 Power to ensure compliance with the Postal Services Directive.
  114. 103 Subsidy for public post offices.
  115. 104 Inviolability of mails.
  116. 104A Power to detain packets in respect of unpaid or underpaid postage
  117. 105 Application of customs and excise enactments to certain postal packets.
  118. 105A Section 105: limit on handling charges etc
  119. 106 Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.
  120. 107 Conditions of transit of postal packets.
  121. 108 Evidence of amount of postage etc.
  122. 109 Evidence of thing being a postal packet.
  123. 110 Certificates in relation to universal postal service letter boxes.
  124. 111 Exclusion of liability in relation to postal and money orders.
  125. 112 Schemes in relation to postal and money orders.
  126. 113 Recoupment of losses on wrongly paid money orders.
  127. 114 Special arrangements with other countries or territories.
  128. 115 Extension of existing powers relating to the Post Office.
  129. 116 The Postcode Address File.
  130. 117 Records of the former Postmaster General’s department.
  131. 118 Supplementary provisions relating to the Council.
  132. 119 General restrictions on disclosure of information.
  133. 120 Offences by bodies corporate.
  134. 121 Service of documents.
  135. 122 Orders and regulations.
  136. 123 Directions.
  137. 124 General financial provision.
  138. 125 Interpretation.
  139. 126 Index of defined expressions.
  140. 127 General amendments and repeals.
  141. 128 Modifications of local enactments etc.
  142. 129 Transitional provisions etc.
  143. 130 Commencement.
  144. 131 Short title and extent.
  145. SCHEDULE 3 Transfer to the Post Office company: supplementary provisions
  146. SCHEDULE 4 Transfer to the Post Office company: tax
  147. SCHEDULE 5 Acquisition of land
  148. SCHEDULE 6 Further provisions relating to land
  149. SCHEDULE 8 Amendments of enactments
  150. SCHEDULE 9 Repeals and revocations

Proposed changes to this act

No one has proposed a change to this act yet.

150 provisions

Title and introductory text

Postal Services Act 2000 2000 c. 26 An Act to establish the Postal Services Commission and the Consumer Council for Postal Services; to provide for the licensing of certain postal services and for a universal postal service; to provide for the vesting of the property, rights and liabilities of the Post Office in a company nominated by the Secretary of State and for the subsequent dissolution of the Post Office; to make further provision in relation to postal services; and for connected purposes. [28th July 2000] Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

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1 The Postal Services Commission.

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2 The Consumer Council for Postal Services.

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3 Duty of the Commission to ensure provision of a universal postal service.

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4 Provision of a universal postal service: meaning.

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5 Other duties of the Commission in the consumer interest.

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6 Restriction on provision of postal services.

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7 Exceptions from section 6.

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7A

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8 Power to modify section 7 by order.

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9 General power to suspend the restriction.

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10 Emergency power to suspend the restriction.

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11 Licences: general.

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12 Licences: grant.

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12A Licences: refusal

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12B Licences: determination of applications

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13 Licences: conditions and other provisions.

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14 Modification of licences by agreement.

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15 References to the Competition Commission.

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15A References under section 15: time limits

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15B References under section 15: application of Enterprise Act 2002

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16 Reports on references.

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16A Reports on references under section 15: further provision

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17 Modification following report.

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18 Power of intervention of the Competition Commission.

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19 Procedural requirements in relation to modifications.

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19A Sections 18 and 19: further provision

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20 Application of competition legislation to references etc.

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21 Modification by order under other enactments.

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22 Final orders.

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23 Provisional orders.

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24 Confirmation of provisional orders.

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25 Exceptions from duty to make or confirm enforcement orders.

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26 Enforcement orders: main procedural requirements.

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27 Enforcement orders: further procedural requirements.

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28 Validity of enforcement orders.

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29 Effect of enforcement orders.

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30 Financial penalties.

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31 Statement of policy in relation to penalties.

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32 Imposition of penalties: main procedural requirements.

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