This Statutory Instrument has been made in consequence of a defect in S.I. 2025/854 and is being issued free of charge to all known recipients of that Statutory Instrument.
Statutory Instruments
2025 No. 890
Postal Services
The Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025
Made
16th July 2025
Coming into force
28th July 2025
The Office of Communications (“OFCOM”), in exercise of the powers conferred by section 30(1) of the Postal Services Act 2011(1), make the following Order.
Before making this Order, OFCOM have carried out a review of user needs in accordance with section 30(3) of the Postal Services Act 2011, given notice of their proposal to make an Order in accordance with section 403(4)(a) of the Communications Act 2003(2) (“the 2003 Act”)(3), published notice of their proposal in accordance with section 403(4)(b) of the 2003 Act and considered the representations made to them before the time specified in that notice in accordance with section 403(4)(c) of the 2003 Act.
Citation and commencement
1. This Order may be cited as the Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2025 and shall come into force on 28th July 2025.
Amendments to the principal Order
2. The Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) Order 2012(4) is amended as set out in articles 3 to 8 of this Order.
Amendments to article 2
3. In article 2 (interpretation)—
(a)in the definition of “domestic” after “addresses”, insert “and collection points”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (a) of the definition of “EU office of exchange”, omit “other than the United Kingdom”;
(c)in sub-paragraph (b) of the definition of “EU office of exchange”, omit “other than the United Kingdom”;
(d)after the definition of “insured item”, insert—
““letter” means—
any communication in written form on any kind of physical medium to be conveyed to the person or address indicated on the item itself or on its wrapping (excluding any book, catalogue, newspaper or periodical), and
includes a postal packet containing any communication within paragraph (a) of this definition;”;
(e)after the definition of “partially sighted”, insert—
““postal packet” means a letter, parcel, packet or other article transmissible by post;”;
(f)after the definition of “post office” insert—
““priority and other letters” means letters conveyed by post under a service specified in Schedules 1 to 3 to this Order, except letters sent under a service specified in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to this Order;”; and
(g)after the definition of “single piece service” insert—
““standard letters” means letters conveyed by post under the service specified in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 to this Order;”.
Amendments to article 3
4. In article 3 (routing times), substitute paragraph (2A) for—
“(2A) “Working day” means, for—
(a)priority and other letters and other postal packets, any day which is not—
(i)a Sunday, or
(ii)a public holiday in the place of collection or the place of delivery of the postal packet concerned; and
(b)standard letters, any day which is not—
(i)a Saturday,
(ii)a Sunday, or
(iii)a public holiday in the place of collection or the place of delivery of the letter concerned.”
Amendments to article 6
5. In article 6 (delivery services)—
(a)in paragraph 1 after “Saturday of”, insert “priority and other”;
(b)after paragraph 1, insert—
“(1A) Delivery on any day from Monday to Friday of standard letters—
(a)to the home or premises of every individual or other person in the United Kingdom, and
(b)to delivery points approved by OFCOM for the purposes of this paragraph.”; and
(c)in paragraph 3 after “(1)”, insert “, (1A)”.
Amendments to article 7
6. In article 7 (collection services)—
(a)in paragraph 1(a) after “points for”, insert “priority and other”; and
(b)in paragraph 1(b) after “points for”, insert “standard letters and”.
Amendments to paragraph 6 of Schedule 1
7. In paragraph 6 of Schedule 1, omit “other than the United Kingdom”.
Amendments to paragraph 6A of Schedule 1
8. In paragraph 6A(1) of Schedule 1, omit “other than the United Kingdom”.
Revocation of the Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) (Amendment) Order 2025
9. The Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) (Amendment) Order 2025(5) is revoked in its entirety.
Natalie Black
Group Director for Networks & Communications, Office of Communications
For and by authority of the Office of Communications
16th July 2025
Section 403 of the 2003 Act is applied to the power of OFCOM to make regulations under section 30(1) of the Postal Services Act 2011 by section 63 of the Postal Services Act 2011.
S.I. 2012/936, as amended by the Postal Services (Universal Postal Service) (Amendment) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/3108).