Press release -
Post Office Reminds Public of UK Last Posting Dates for Sending Christmas Presents
Almost 9 in 10 Brits are unaware of their last chance to send Christmas presents.
It’s not too late to visit your local Post Office, Postmasters across the UK are ready to help send parcels in time for Christmas.
- Last Parcelforce express48 date: Thursday 19th December
- Last Royal Mail 1st Class date: Friday 20th December
- Last Royal Mail Tracked 48 date: Friday 20thDecember
- Last Evri Standard date: Friday 20thDecember
- Last Parcelforce express24 date: Friday 20th December
- Last Royal Mail Tracked 24 date: Saturday 21st December
- Last Evri Priority date: Saturday 21stDecember
- Last DPD date: Saturday 21st December
- Royal Mail’s Special Delivery Guaranteed®: Monday 23rd December
With Christmas just around the corner, research reveals many Brits feel unprepared for the holiday season, with 88 per cent unsure of the last day they can post parcels to arrive before the big day. Nearly a third (29 per cent) of people sent gifts through Post Office last year, underscoring just how crucial this knowledge is for festive preparations.
Over a third of Brits (37 per cent) admit they leave gift shopping to the last minute, with some finalising purchases as late as 23rd December. For shoppers who plan to wait this late to post, they’ll require Royal Mail’s Special Delivery Guaranteed®, which guarantees delivery by 1pm the next day* or risk joining the 12 per cent who have previously missed the last posting date altogether.
Postmaster, Richard Fleetwood, shares tips on what the public can do to ensure packages get to loved ones on time: “Your local Post Office is here to help and this year we have even more delivery carriers to choose from – including Royal Mail, DPD, Evri, and Parcelforce – to ensure your Christmas parcels arrive safely and on time. We even offer tracked and signed for services to give you extra peace of mind. While Post Office has delivery options available for Christmas up until 23rdDecember, we’d encourage people to post earlier where possible.”
“To make your posting experience as smooth as possible there are a few tips you can follow to save time when posting your Christmas parcels; have the address and name of the person you’re sending to clearly written on the parcel as well as a returns address, and know what’s in the parcel you’re sending and the value of the item – it's surprising how many people do not.”
In addition to last minute posting for Christmas, this is also a busy time for parcel returns. Almost one in five Brits (18 per cent) send back items before Christmas. This could be driven by more people taking advantage of pre-Christmas sales such as Black Friday, with 45 per cent returning items they bought for themselves in the sales that they didn’t need, compared to only 30 per cent returning unwanted gifts.
Mark Eldridge, Postmaster Experience Director at Post Office and serving Postmaster, commented: “Post Office is a one stop shop and hub of activity this time of year as customers take advantage of services to send, return and collect parcels in branch.
“Being able to get your online shopping delivered to your local Post Office is a brilliant service that we’re seeing customers really utilising this year, particularly if people are worried about valuable parcels being left outside their house.”
“Christmas is always a busy period for people across the UK but it’s not too late to visit your friendly local Post Office to send and receive parcels in time for Christmas. Postmasters up and down the UK are ready to help.”
Post Office reminds customers to check latest recommended last posting dates and requirements well in advance to stay organised this Christmas season. The majority of last international posting dates have now passed but Postmasters will be able to advise on options to send abroad for those really last-minute gifts.
Last Posting Dates for Christmas 2024
| Thu 19 Dec | Fri 20 Dec | Sat 21 Dec | Mon 23 Dec | |
| Royal Mail | 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, Tracked 48 | Tracked 24 | Special Delivery Guaranteed | |
| Parcelforce Worldwide | express 48, express48 Large | express24 express9 express10 expressAM | ||
| DPD | Next Day Next Day by 12 | |||
| Evri | Standard | Next Day |
For more information visit postoffice.co.uk/christmas.
-ENDS-
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About the Post Office
- With over 11,500 branches, Post Office has the biggest retail network in the UK, with more branches than all the banks and building societies combined.
- Post Office is helping anyone who wants cash to get it whichever way is most convenient. Partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit unions means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
- Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office; and the biggest investment by any organisation or company in the last decade is being made to safeguard 1,400 free-to-use ATMs across the UK.
- Post Office is simplifying its proposition for Postmasters with a focus on its cash and banking; mails and parcels; foreign exchange; and; bill payments services.
- Research has found that visits to the Post Office help drive another 400 million visitors to other shops, restaurants and local businesses equating to an estimated £1.1 billion in additional revenue for High Street businesses.
- 99.7% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office; and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.
