The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trademarks and copyright. The IPO buildings are currently closed but the majority of services remain unaffected.
A number of service changes were put in place on 27 March 2020. The service changes in relation to interrupted days was reviewed on 29 May 2020.
The IPO declared 24 March, and subsequent days until further notice, interrupted days. An 'interrupted day' is a day in which the normal course of business at the IPO is not possible.
This means that most deadlines for patents, supplementary protection certificates, trademarks and designs and applications for these rights, which fall on an interrupted day will be extended. To help rights holders, businesses and IP professionals plan ahead, the IPO will provide a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice before ending the interrupted days period.
On 29 May, the IPO decided to continue with the period of interruption and will review and update again on 22 June. There are also IPO service changes relating to renewals, postal and paper services, fax, Certified Office Copies (COCs) and payments and refunds.
