Royal Mail issues urgent warning as posting deadline ends in hours

Royal Mail aims to deliver to all addresses it has mail for, six days a week, but the timetable looks slightly different between Monday, December 23 and Sunday, December 29.

The postal service does not deliver on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, which are Wednesday, December 25, and Thursday, December 26 this year.

Instead, Royal Mail will operate delivery and collections services on Monday, December 23, Tuesday, December 24, Friday, December 27 and Saturday, December 28.

However, there are a few hours left for Britons to send letters and parcels in time for Christmas. In most postcodes, delivery is guaranteed by 9am on Christmas Eve.

Express.co.uk has rounded up the key dates and timings you should know for festive delivery deadlines.

When is the last date I can post for Christmas?

All but one of the final posting deadlines for Royal Mail have passed this year, so it’s too late to send via the following Christmas services:

• Second and second classes signed for (deadline: Wednesday, December 18)
• First class, first class signed for, and Royal Mail Tracked 48 (deadline: Friday, December 20)
• Royal Mail Tracked 24 (deadline: Sunday, December 21)

However, there are still a few hours left to post Christmas gifts and parcels using the Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed service.

Royal Mail has urged: “Please try to arrive at least an hour before the Post Office closes. No later than 4.30pm even if the Post Office has a later closing time. No later than 1100 am if the Post Office has a half-day closing time.”

The latest acceptance time depends partly on the Post Office you use. Check opening times using the ‘Services near you’ online tool.

Some postcodes aren’t eligible for guaranteed 9am delivery. According to Royal Mail, several postcode areas may receive deliveries by 9.30am or 10am instead.

Customers should read the full list of Royal Mail’s Special Delivery Guaranteed postcode exclusions to ensure they benefit from the speedy delivery service. 

As for deliveries due across the UK today, Royal Mail says that its air, rail, road and mail centres network have all “operated to schedule over the last 24 hours”.

However, local issues such as high sick absence levels, resourcing and other factors mean deliveries may not be on time in 22 postcodes today. Royal Mail apologised for the inconvenience caused by service delays in the following postcodes impacted today:

• Abingdon (OX13 and OX14)
• Armagh (BT60, BT61, BT68 and BT69)
• Belfast West (BT10 – BT12 and BT17)
• Canterbury (CT1-CT6) 
• Carterton (OX18)
• Margate (CT7-CT9)
• Sandhurst (GU46 and GU47)
• Waterlooville (PO7 and PO8)
• Whitehaven (CA18-CA20, CA26 and CA28)