Uncollected Goods Act 1996

Personal effects (other than a personal document) may be disposed of by public auction after 3 months.

A personal document may be disposed of—

by returning the document to the authority that issued it; or

if it is not practicable to return the document to the authority that issued it—in any other lawful way that the possessor thinks appropriate.

A personal document must not be disposed of in a way that results in personal information about the owner of the document becoming publicly available.

In this section:

a birth certificate, passport or other identity document;

a bank book or other financial statement or document;

a photograph or other personal memorabilia;

a licence or other document conferring an authority, right or qualification;

a document prescribed by regulation.