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LETTERS AND PARCELS

Save time in branch

Be ready before you go
Visiting your branch
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Be ready before you go

​There's a lot you can do to save time in branch before you even reach one. By preparing your mail at home, finding the service that best fits your needs in advance and choosing a quieter time to visit, you can be in and out much quicker.​​

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Make sure your item’s safe to send

Before you spend time packing them, check what you can send in the post. Don't worry if you're not sure. We'll ask you what's inside your item and make sure it's safe to send.

Prohibited and restricted items

Pack items at home securely

Don’t wait until you’re in a busy branch to pack items. Do it in the comfort of your own home. Follow our guide to packing items securely. And check our tips to make sure you've addressed them clearly and correctly.

How to pack your parcel

 

Choose the right way to
send your parcels

 

You can also save time by finding the best posting service for your needs before you visit. Here are the three key things to consider when sending your parcel:

 

When would you like it to arrive?
If you’d like guaranteed next working day delivery, choose Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed or Parcel Force Worldwide Express 24, 9, 10 and AM. If not, Royal Mail 1st Class aims to deliver the next working day and 2nd Class within 2-3 working days.

 

Need cover for its contents?
Choose a service that offers the right level of compensation in the unlikely event your item gets lost, damaged or delayed. Royal Mail UK standard delivery covers items up to the value of £20, UK Signed For up to £50 and Special Delivery Guaranteed up to £500 as standard. Only Special Delivery covers sending valuables such as cash, vouchers and jewellery.

 

Do you want a signature on delivery and/or full tracking?
For peace of mind you can track your item all the way to loved ones with a signature on receipt with Special Delivery and Parcelforce services. Or use Royal Mail Signed For if you just need reassurance who has received your item. During the Covid-19 pandemic, a name will be asked and logged upon delivery instead of a signature.

Find the right service or price

Choose from posting options for every need, from lower-priced delivery to speedy and tracked services. If you're unsure which you need, we can help. Use our price finder tool to find the right option at the best price.

Price finder
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Visiting your branch

 

You can avoid longer queues by visiting your local branch at its quieter times. Just ask the team there when they are. Some may be open earlier in the morning, later in the evening or over the weekend too. You can check their opening hours with our Branch Finder.

Say hello to self-service

Some branches have self-service kiosks where you can post cards and parcels to the UK and abroad with standard, Signed For and next-day services, return items and buy stamps to take away. To find a branch with a kiosk tick the 'Post & Go self-serve' option in our branch finder.

Self-service kiosks

Are you sending items abroad?

If you are sending items abroad, you may need to fill out a customs form and you could save time in branch by completing a customs form at home. Check out our guide on how to fill customs forms so you can avoid delays in your items being received.

Customs forms

Drop & Go if you send parcel regularly

Drop & Go could save you time and effort if you post items regularly. Our free, same-day service allows you to simply drop off your parcels in branch and we'll sort out the postage. Perfect for online sellers, small businesses or anyone regularly sending lots of parcels.

Find out more about Drop & Go