Postal services in the United Kingdom

Postal services in the United Kingdom are provided predominantly by the Royal Mail (which delivers letters) and Post Office Ltd (which oversees post offices). Since 2006, the market has been fully opened to competition which has thrived in business to business delivery, but not in ordinary letter delivery.

The industry is regulated by Ofcom and consumer interests are represented by Consumer Focus. Since 1 October 2011, the main piece of legislation is the Postal Services Act 2011, although some parts of the Postal Services Act 2000 are still in force. The 2011 Act enables the government to privatise Royal Mail and to possibly mutualise Post Office Ltd.

History

Main article: Postage stamps and postal history of Great Britain

The quality of postal services in the 17th and 18th centuries improved with development of better roads and means of transportation.

Anthony Trollope is credited with major contributions to the development of postal services in the years 1851-1867, described, e.g. in Chapters 8 and 13 of his autobiography.

• Postmaster General, position created in 1510
• Royal Mail, established 1516 by King Henry VIII
• General Post Office, established 1660 by King Charles II
• Rowland Hill, creator of the penny post, 1844

• Post Office Ltd, separated from Royal Mail as a new business in 1986
• Parcelforce, separated as a new division within Royal Mail in 1986

• Green Paper on Postal Reform (1994) published setting out the options for privatisation and regulation of the Post Office and Royal Mail
• British Forces Post Office, the British Army's postal & courier service, a history of its development

Law

• Postal Services Act 2000
• Postal Services Act 2011
• First Postal Services Directive, 97/67/EC
• Second Postal Services Directive, 2002/39/EC
• Third Postal Services Directive, 2008/06/EC

See also

• Public service law in the United Kingdom
• Telecommunications in the United Kingdom
• Broadcasting in the United Kingdom
• Energy policy of the United Kingdom