HOME OFFICE News
Release (IPS001/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 31
January 2008
Post Office Ltd
has retained the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) contract to
provide the passport Check & Send service.
The Post Office Check & Send service, available at 2,500 post
office branches, offers members of the public the opportunity, for
an additional handling fee, to have their passport application
forms and associated documentation checked for completeness prior
to being sent on to IPS.
Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said:
"The Post Office Check & Send Service is very effective
in helping people's passport applications to go smoothly,
picking up potential mistakes in the application and ensuring that
people have submitted the right information and fee."
Some 45 per cent of the six million passport applications
received by IPS annually come via Check & Send, with the
service dramatically reducing the number of errors in passport
applications. 12 per cent of applications posted by customers
directly to IPS contain errors, whilst those sent using Check
& Send average only 2 per cent.
The contract, which has been awarded following an open
competition, will run for 2 years, with an option to extend for a
further two years.
Existing Check & Send Service arrangements have been in place
since January 1996, with the last tender in 2000.
Notes to Editors:
For more information on the Post Office Check & Send Service,
see http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=19300211&mediaId=19600188
For more information on passports and IPS, see http://www.ips.gov.uk