Just because the staff at your local post office are incapable of doing their jobs correctly, doesn't mean the original story is untrue
"They will need to bring the original ‘Something for you’ card and provide proof of your ID."
www.royalmail.com/delivery/inbound-mail/redelivery/faqs#Can I send somebody else to pick up my item?
Therefore, unless your friends pop over to your house first to collect the original 'Something for you' card and your ID, you are talking complete bollocks.

NEXT!
(TheColonel, Wed 29 Feb 2012, 9:28, 1 reply)

Yes... well... a couple of points

1. It is entirely possible that the people working in the sorting office are: a) Jobsworths b) Ignorant of their own policy c) not properly trained
2. As you point out when parcels have been delivered to my door, I have signed for my wife and others, even taken deliveries for neighbours etc. So why all of sudden my wife can't sign for her son for whom she is legally responsible seems somewhat bizarre.
3. The story is true - sad and Inadequate I may be but I'm not so in need of recognition that I need to make up a story on a stupid website to feel good about myself.
(Nitrous Nitrous, Wed 29 Feb 2012, 10:29, closed)

Oh yeah and...
www.royalmail.com/delivery/business-delivery-options-uk/recorded-signed/faqs


"Will I always get a signature and does the person named on the address label sign for the item?
We make sure we get a signature from whoever receives the item, but bear in mind that this may not be the person named on the address label."
(Nitrous Nitrous, Wed 29 Feb 2012, 10:36, closed)

When I worked as a postie
I was on the desk a fair bit. Our basic (unofficial) policy was that if they showed us a driving licence with the right address on, they got the parcel (though this was for recorded deliveries, not specials, which are a whole new mess of shit if they go missing). You still need the card though.

We did have one lass come in with her marriage certificate, since she'd only been married the week before and so none of her ID was up to date.

Generally we were fairly sensible, but they guy that worked the desk during the week was a complete arse.

Another hint: If you get one of the "insufficient postage" cards, then you can ask the bloke behind the desk to hold it up to the light to see if he can make anything out (though you can't take it or have him open it unless you pay). Also, around christmas, the staff get so tired of charging people £1.09 for the christmas cards slightly too big for normal letters that within a couple weeks an order has come through from on high just to let them have it.
( Tedium Alduce me to interlow myself., Wed 29 Feb 2012, 12:14, closed)