A few items that you might not think twice about are prohibited from being sent by post, including lottery tickets. Read the full list of restricted and prohibited items so that you can be sure you’re posting legally and safely.

There are envelopes available for a variety of important documents as well as foldable letters. You can get any of them in your local branch.

Getting your delivery address right is crucial. If you're not sure of the address you're sending to - whether an entire address or just part of one - use a digital maps service or search engine like Google or Apple Maps to fill out the remaining details.

Here’s how the address should be laid out:

Name of recipient
House name/number and street
Locality

(if relevant)
Village/town/city

(if the address is very remote but is near a village or town, you can put “Nr” followed by the nearest named area, but this is usually unnecessary)
County

(again, this is usually unnecessary if you have the town and postcode)
Postcode

(print all letters in capitals)

Weighing your letter before you get to a branch can help you buy the right postage and spend just what you need to. You can do it at home with scales for an accurate reading or approximate to be sure it’s within a specific range. Remember that the weight of your item will determine the kind of postage you need.

The size of your letter and speed and security you need to send it with will determine what kind of postage you’ll need, and so the price you’ll pay. There are two different sizes of letter which are called “letter” and “large letter”.

•  Letters have a max width of 16.5 centimetres, a max length of 24cm and a max depth of 0.5cm.

•  Large letters have a max width of 25cm, a max length of 35.3cm and a max depth of 2.5cm. Weight also becomes more important with large letters.

You can send letters by 1st class or 2nd class post. Letters sent 1st class are usually delivered in one working day and those sent 2nd class within 3 days, but neither are guaranteed.

We also provide postage options for items you need to guarantee to arrive before a specific time. Called Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am® and Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm®, these guarantee delivery by 9am and 1pm the next working day respectively.

Use our postage price finder to find a preferred method and price for sending your letter

You’ll need your stamp to be clearly visible, not bent over an edge and on the same face of your parcel as the address. Many stamps contain barcodes to assist in tracking, so it’s important that the stamp is flat and easy to scan. We’ve got a guide to help you attach your stamps perfectly

Or pop in to see us at your local branch. We’re on hand to help with any of your queries, help you find the right postage and get your package on its way.