Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Communications data definition

What does Communications data mean? Communications data, in the postal context, describes non-content information about a postal communication and the use of a postal service. In the UK (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), it is defined in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to include: (a) postal data that is comprised in, attached to or logically associated with a postal communication, whether added by the sender or otherwise (for example names and addresses on packaging, barcodes and tracking identifiers); (b) information about any person’s use of a postal service (for example posting, handling, routing, delivery and tracking events), excluding the content...

Archived: UK RIPA 2000 regime for acquiring and disclosing communications data—public authorities, designated persons, authorisations and notices (superseded by Investigatory Powers Act 2016)

Published by a LexisNexis Corporate Crime expert

Practice notes

ARCHIVED: This Practice Note is archived and is no longer maintained.

The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016) forms the principal statutory scheme regulating the use of covert surveillance undertaken by public bodies. Rules on obtaining and disclosing Communications data sit in IPA 2016, Parts 2 and 3, which replaced the RIPA 2000 provisions on Interception and communications data acquisition. For guidance on acquiring and using communications data under IPA 2016, refer to the Practice Notes 'Acquisition, retention and disclosure of communications data under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016' and 'Interception of communications under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016'. For an overview of the scope of IPA 2016 more generally, see the Practice Note 'The regulation of intelligence gathering—an introductory guide'.

Communications data

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA 2000) established a detailed scheme for requesting, supplying, and managing the handling of communications data. This legislative scheme imposes obligations on all those who handle communication data in practice. It must be considered and interpreted alongside the statutory Code of practice, 'Acquisition and Disclosure of Communications Data'...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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