diff --git a/app/workers/process_postcode_worker.rb b/app/workers/process_postcode_worker.rb
index 4cef899a..555bc347 100644
--- a/app/workers/process_postcode_worker.rb
+++ b/app/workers/process_postcode_worker.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ class ProcessPostcodeWorker
 
   def perform(postcode)
     PostcodeManager.new.update_postcode(postcode)
+    Rails.application.config.sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service.record_success
   rescue OsPlacesApi::ClientError => e
     GovukError.notify(e)
+    Rails.application.config.sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service.record_failure
   end
 end
diff --git a/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb b/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
index 91e339ca..3a69e95d 100644
--- a/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/sidekiq.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 require "sidekiq-unique-jobs"
+require "sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service"
 
 Sidekiq.configure_server do |config|
   config.client_middleware do |chain|
@@ -17,3 +18,10 @@
     chain.add SidekiqUniqueJobs::Middleware::Client
   end
 end
+
+# Set backoff service to slow down schedule to once per 180 seconds if lots of errors
+Rails.application.config.sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service = SidekiqSchedulerBackoffService.new(
+  name: "queue_oldest_postcodes_for_updating",
+  min_interval: 1,
+  max_interval: 180,
+)
diff --git a/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service.rb b/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..731c0e5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+class SidekiqSchedulerBackoffService
+  def initialize(name:, min_interval:, max_interval:)
+    @name = name.to_s
+    @min_interval = min_interval
+    @max_interval = max_interval
+  end
+
+  def record_success
+    initial_interval = current_interval
+    target_interval = [initial_interval - 1, @min_interval].max
+    restart_schedule(target_interval) if target_interval != initial_interval
+  end
+
+  def record_failure
+    initial_interval = current_interval
+    target_interval = [initial_interval * 2, @max_interval].min
+    restart_schedule(target_interval) if target_interval != initial_interval
+  end
+
+private
+
+  def current_interval
+    schedule = Sidekiq.get_schedule[@name]
+    Integer(schedule["every"].first.chop)
+  end
+
+  def restart_schedule(target_interval)
+    schedule = Sidekiq.get_schedule[@name]
+    Sidekiq.set_schedule(@name, schedule.merge("every" => ["#{target_interval}s"]))
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service_spec.rb b/spec/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41a04a14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/sidekiq_scheduler_backoff_service_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+require "spec_helper"
+
+RSpec.describe SidekiqSchedulerBackoffService do
+  let(:min_interval) { 2 }
+  let(:max_interval) { 180 }
+  let(:name) { :queue_oldest_postcodes_for_updating }
+  subject { SidekiqSchedulerBackoffService.new(name:, min_interval:, max_interval:) }
+
+  describe "#record_failure" do
+    context "when the scheduler is going faster than maximum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(min_interval - 1)
+      end
+
+      it "sets the scheduler to maximum speed and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_failure
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{min_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going faster than minimum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(max_interval / 2)
+      end
+
+      it "halves the scheduler speed and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_failure
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{max_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going at minimum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(max_interval)
+      end
+
+      it "does nothing" do
+        subject.record_failure
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{max_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going slower than minimum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(max_interval * 2)
+      end
+
+      it "sets the scheduler to minimum speed and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_failure
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{max_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#record_success" do
+    context "when the scheduler is going faster than maximum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(min_interval - 1)
+      end
+
+      it "sets the scheduler to maximum speed and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_success
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{min_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going at maximum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(min_interval)
+      end
+
+      it "does nothing" do
+        subject.record_success
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{min_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going slower than maximum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(min_interval * 4)
+      end
+
+      it "decremenincrements the scheduler speed by 1 second and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_success
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{(min_interval * 4) - 1}s"])
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when the scheduler is going slower than minimum speed" do
+      before do
+        set_scheduled_interval(max_interval + 1)
+      end
+
+      it "sets the scheduler to minimum speed and reloads the schedule" do
+        subject.record_success
+        expect(scheduled_interval).to eq(["#{max_interval}s"])
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+def set_scheduled_interval(interval)
+  Sidekiq.set_schedule(name.to_s, { "every" => ["#{interval}s"], "class" => "PostcodesCollectionWorker" })
+end
+
+def scheduled_interval
+  Sidekiq.get_schedule["queue_oldest_postcodes_for_updating"]["every"]
+end