Universal Service - services to be provided: exceptions
As part of the universal service set out in its licence, Royal Mail must provide a delivery and collection service to each address in the UK, every working day.
However, for some addresses, it is not possible for Royal Mail to deliver mail right up to the door or collect mail from a specific post box. If that is the case, Royal Mail must give a good reason for making an "exception" to its universal service obligation.
Postcomm consulted on and published policies and Directions on:
- how to define the few exceptions to Royal Mail's requirement to collect mail at least once every working day from all 115, 000 post boxes and 16,000 post offices throughout the UK and;
- defining the limited geographical conditions or other exceptional circumstances in which Royal Mail is exempt from its universal service obligation to deliver mail once every working day to every address in the United Kingdom.
On 1 October 2008, Postcomm published new policy guidelines and Directions for collection and delivery exceptions. Postcomm had to remove the references to Postwatch from the policies and Directions on delivery and collection exceptions as Postwatch was abolished on 1 October 2008. The Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007 changed the current framework for consumer advocacy by abolishing the current Consumer Council for Postal Services ("Postwatch") and establishing a new consumer body, the National Consumer Council ("Consumer Focus"). Therefore the only changes to the previous policy guidelines and Directions were the removal of references to Postwatch and the insertion of references to Consumer Focus for certain information provisions. The polices and Directions will be reviewed in 2010.
If you have a complaint about a collection exception, you should make a complaint (external website) to Royal Mail.
If you are an "excepted" addressee, and are not happy with the decision, or alternative mail delivery arrangements Royal Mail had made for you, you should make a complaint (external website) to the company.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint to Royal Mail, you can appeal the decision and escalate it within Royal Mail. If you are still unhappy after your appeal, Postcomm can look into your case.
More information about Postcomm's work on the universal service.
Related Documents:
- 1 October 2008
- Exceptions to Royal Mail's Universal Deliveries Service Letter, Policy and Direction (pdf, 214KB)
- 1 October 2008
- Exceptions to Royal Mail's Universal Collections Service Letter, Policy and Direction (pdf, 186KB)
- 24 April 2007 - decision document and direction
- Policy Review of Exceptions to Royal Mail’s Universal Delivery Service (pdf, 492KB).
- 24 April 2007 - news release
- Postcomm publishes updated guidelines on exceptions to the universal postal service.
- 19 January 2007 - consultation responses
- Responses to the August 2006 consultation document ‘Policy Review on Exceptions to Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation for Delivery Services’.
Response from Royal Mail (pdf, 326KB),
Response from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (pdf, 372KB),
Response from an excepted address (pdf, 335KB), second response from an excepted address (pdf, 238KB),
Other responses (pdf, 202KB). - 29 December 2006 - extension of direction
- Postal Services Act 2000. Sections 4 and 11. Licence granted to Royal Mail Group plc. Condition 2. Direction designating geographical consitions and other circumstances as exceptional (pdf, 15KB)
- 18 August 2006 - decision document and direction
- Exceptions to Royal Mail's universal collection service (pdf, 434KB).
- 8 August 2006 - consultation document
- Policy Review on Exceptions to Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligation for Delivery Services: A consultation document (pdf, 502KB).
- 31 January 2006 - direction
- Postal Services Act 2000, Sections 4 and 11. Licence granted to Royal Mail Group plc, Condition 1. Direction designating geographical conditions and other circumstances as exceptional (pdf, 15KB).
- 17 May 2004 - consultation responses
- responses to Royal Mail licence condition 1: exceptions to the universal service obligation - collections (pdf, 191KB).
- 11 March 2004 - consultation document
- Royal Mail licence condition 1: exceptions to the universal service obligation - collections (pdf, 391KB).
- 11 March 2004 - news release
- Postcomm consults on exceptions to daily postal collections.
- 31 January 2003 - policy statement
- Royal Mail licence condition 1 - exceptions to the universal service obligation (policy statement) (pdf, 334KB).
- 31 January 2003 - decision document and direction
- Royal Mail licence condition 1 - exceptions to the universal service obligation (decision document and direction) (pdf, 1.2MB).
- 31 January 2003 - news release
- Postcomm sets clearer rules for exceptions to the universal service obligation.
- 20 December 2002 - direction
- Postal Services Act 2000, Section 11. Licence granted to Royal Mail Group plc. Condition 1. Direction designating exceptional conditions and circumstances (pdf, 160KB).
- 1 October 2002 - consultation responses
- responses to Consignia licence condition 1 - exceptions to the universal service obligation (word document, 308KB).
- 9 July 2002 - consultation document
- Consignia licence condition 1 - exceptions to the universal service obligation (pdf, 963KB).
- 9 July 2002 - news release
- Postcomm proposes clearer rules for exceptions to the universal postal service.
