Get your cards, gifts and greetings there in time for Christmas. Check the latest recommended posting dates for all UK and international services as some international dates are earlier than last year. As always, our advice is to post early and avoid the rush.
Sending to UK addresses
Here are the latest recommended posting dates for all services to UK addresses.
| Service | Last recommended posting date |
| Royal Mail 2nd Class & 2nd Class Signed For | Monday 19 December |
| Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For Parcelforce Worldwide express48 and express48Large** | Wednesday 21 December |
| Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed* Parcelforce Worldwide express24. expressAM^ | Thursday 22 December |
| Royal Mail Special Delivery by 1pm with Saturday Guarantee* | Friday 23 December |
** express48large is only available in certain Post Office branches. Please contact your local branch for special availability.
*Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed offers on-time delivery for delivery to UK addresses or your money back. A Saturday guaranteed delivery is available for an additional fee and offers on-time Saturday delivery to most UK addresses or your money back. Conditions and exceptions apply.
^Parcelforce Worldwide offer a guaranteed next working day delivery (Mon-Fri). Extended delivery times exist for outlying areas. Parcelforce Worldwide Guarantee definition: A refund of the whole or a proportionate part of the consignment charges in the event of late delivery in line with UK or International Conditions of Carriage for Retail Services. Delivery time begins from date of collection.
Sending items overseas?
If you’re sending mail abroad, post early to avoid disappointment. Here are the latest recommended posting dates to different destinations for each international service.
Royal Mail International Standard and International Tracking and Signature services
| Service | Last recommended posting date |
| Australia and New Zealand | Thursday 1 December |
| China (People’s Republic) | Friday 2 December |
| All remaining Caribbean destinations | Monday 5 December |
| Africa, Asia (except China, People’s Republic) Central and South America, Far and Middle East | Wednesday 7 December |
| Cyprus and Malta | Thursday 8 December |
| Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and Turkey | Thursday 8 December |
| Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA and Canada | Saturday 10 December |
| Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland | Monday 12 December |
| Belgium, France, Luxembourg | Tuesday 13 December |
HM Forces Mail – British Forces Post Office (BFPO)
| Service | Last recommended posting date |
| Operational HM Forces | Monday 28 November |
| Static HM Forces | Monday 5 December |
Parcelforce Worldwide: Republic of Ireland delivery services
| Service | Last recommended posting date |
| globalvalue | Monday 12 December |
| globalpriority | Wednesday 14 December |
| globalexpress and irelandexpress | Tuesday 20 December |
Parcelforce Worldwide: International
| Service | Last recommended posting date |
| Australia | globalexpress: Tuesday 13 December globalpriority: Monday 5 Decemberglobalvalue: Saturday 3 December |
| Belgium | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Wednesday 14 December globalvalue: Monday 12 December |
| Canada | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Monday 12 Decemberglobalvalue: Thursday 8 December |
| China | globalexpress: Tuesday 13 December globalpriority: Monday 5 Decemberglobalvalue: Saturday 3 December |
| France | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Wednesday 14 Decemberglobalvalue: Monday 12 December |
| Germany | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Wednesday 14 Decemberglobalvalue: Monday 12 December |
| Italy | globalexpress: Monday 19 December globalpriority: Tuesday 13 Decemberglobalvalue: Saturday 10 December |
| Netherlands | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Wednesday 14 Decemberglobalvalue: Monday 12 December |
| New Zealand | globalexpress: Tuesday 13 December globalpriority: Monday 5 Decemberglobalvalue: Saturday 3 December |
| Poland | globalexpress: Friday 16 December globalpriority: Monday 12 Decemberglobalvalue: Friday 9 December |
| Spain | globalexpress: Monday 19 December globalpriority: Tuesday 13 Decemberglobalvalue: Saturday 10 December |
| Sweden | globalexpress: Friday 16 December globalpriority: Monday 12 Decemberglobalvalue: Friday 9 December |
| Switzerland | globalexpress: Friday 16 December globalpriority: Monday 12 Decemberglobalvalue: Friday 9 December |
| USA | globalexpress: Tuesday 20 December globalpriority: Monday 12 Decemberglobalvalue: Thursday 8 December |
If you are looking for a destination not listed above please visit the Royal Mail or Parcelforce Worldwide website for more information.
Also Important Information at time of posting the following are dates of Postal Strikes
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