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Postal Orders
Similar to cheques for those without a bank account
How much does a postal order cost?
What is the difference between a crossed and uncrossed Postal Order?
What should I do if my Postal Order is lost or stolen?
Is the Postal Order fee for insurance purposes?
How much does a postal order cost?
The cost of a Postal Order varies depending upon the purchase value. Here is a guide to how much it costs:
|
Purchase value per order
|
Fee payable
|
|---|---|
|
£0 - £4.99
|
50p
|
|
£5 - £9.99
|
£1.00
|
|
£10 - £99.99
|
12.50% of the face value
|
| £100 - to maximum value of £250 | Capped at £12.50 |
Please note: You can only pay for Postal Orders with cash.
What is the difference between a crossed and uncrossed Postal Order?
The key difference is that Crossed Postal Orders can only be paid into a bank account, except if it's paid into the recipient's savings account or used to pay bills at a Post Office® branch. Uncrossed Postal Orders are as good as cash, this means that the recipient can pick up the cash whilst posting out your items and, in most cases, this means your order will arrive earlier.
Please note: Crossed Postal Orders are no better than Uncrossed ones if you do not enter the recipients name as anybody will be able to enter their details and then bank it. If a Crossed Postal Order has a name printed, then it can only be paid into that person's account. Visit any one of our branches for further help.
What should I do if my Postal Order is lost or stolen?
If your Postal Order is lost in the post then obtain a P58, lost mail form, from a branch and send it off to Royal Mail (address on the form) along with proof of purchase no earlier than 15 days after posting. Please keep a copy of your Postal Order receipt as we'll require the unique ID number.
If your Postal Order is stolen please report it to the police and obtain a Crime Reference Number. The police need to contact us with this Crime Reference Number. From here call us on 08457 223 344 and we can issue a refund if the order has not been cashed.
Is the Postal Order fee for insurance purposes?
No. The fee payable when purchasing a Postal Order is an admin charge for the service and is not a fee for insurance.
