National Federation of SubPostmasters


The National Federation of SubPostmasters is a membership organisation, which represents subpostmasters in the United Kingdom and currently has more than 8,000 members who operate approximately 9,300 post office branches. It is the only organisation recognised by Post Office Ltd to act on behalf of subpostmasters.
The NFSP has almost 50 branches throughout the UK, separated into 10 geographical regions. Each member is represented by their local Branch Secretary and Regional Secretary; the Board of Non-Executive Directors is made up of serving subpostmasters and three representatives from organisations with a portfolio of post offices.

History

On 19 April 1897 a group of up to 90 subpostmasters assembled at the Music Saloon, Wood Street, Wakefield to consider forming a national association to “improve the conditions under which subpostmasters labour and to undertake the advancement of our interests by all legitimate and honourable means”.
The federation was formed, with Wakefield as its headquarters, and the first conference was held in Nottingham on 11 April 1898. The first edition of a monthly newspaper The SubPostmaster was published on 4 September 1899, and Joseph Ranns, founder and first National President, wrote the inaugural article. The magazine is still published today. In February 1947, the Federation’s headquarters moved to Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex.
Originally a trade union, the status of the NFSP was changed to better reflect members requirements as self employed individuals and organisations.
Subpostmaster’s were deemed to be self-employed agents of Post Office Ltd by the Certification Officer on the 13th of January, 2014. Via a democratic vote, members chose overwhelmingly to rejected amalgamation with other Trade Unions and to ensure its continued independence, changed its status to a trade association on 1st of October, 2016.