Section 182A | Return of social security post ^F1

(1)A social security authority may require a postal operator (within the meaning of Part 3 of the Postal Services Act 2011).to return to the sender social security post sent by or on behalf of the authority which would otherwise be redirected.^F2F3

(2)A social security authority shall make payments of such amount as the Secretary of State considers reasonable in respect of the return of social security post in compliance with a requirement imposed by the authority under subsection (1) above.

(3)In subsections (1) and (2) above “social security authority” means—

(a)the Secretary of State;

(b)the Northern Ireland Department; or

(c)any local or other authority administering housing benefit or council tax benefit (including the Northern Ireland Housing Executive).^F4

(4)In subsections (1) and (2) above “social security post” means postal packets—

(a)the contents of which relate to any benefit, contributions or national insurance number or to any other matter relating to social security; and

(b)which are marked, in a manner approved by the postal operator concerned, with the name and address of the sender and with an indication that they are to be returned rather than redirected.^F5

(5)In this section—

(a)“redirected”, in relation to any postal packet, means delivered to an address other than that indicated by the sender on the packet; and

(b)“postal packet” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Postal Services Act 2011.^F6

(6)Any requirement imposed under subsection (1) above has effect subject to any order under—

(a)section 371 of the Insolvency Act 1986 or Article 342 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (redirection of bankrupt's letters to trustee in bankruptcy);

(b)paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 of the Solicitors Act 1974 or paragraph 15 of Schedule 1 to the Solicitors (Northern Ireland) Order 1976 (redirection of letters following intervention by Law Society); or

(c)paragraph 10 of Schedule 5 to the Administration of Justice Act 1985 (redirection of letters following intervention by Council for Licensed Conveyancers).