The Ultimate Guide to Sending Mail in the UK (2026)

• Royal Mail delivers to every UK address six days a week, with 1st and 2nd Class services for letters.
• A 1st Class stamp is around £1.70; 2nd Class around £0.87 — before envelopes, paper, and ink.
• A UK address ends with the post town in capitals and the postcode on its own line; the county is optional.
• PostPal posts letters online for a flat £4 in the UK and £8 worldwide — no printer, stamps, or Post Office.

Posting a letter isn't complicated, but the details trip people up: which class to use, how to lay out the address, what it really costs once you've bought supplies, and how long it'll take. This guide pulls it all together for 2026, and shows how to skip the hassle entirely by posting online.

For everyday letters, Royal Mail offers two main services:

• 1st Class (~£1.70): aims for next-working-day delivery, including Saturdays.
• 2nd Class (~£0.87): typically 2–3 working days.

Larger or heavier items fall into Large Letter or parcel pricing. For added security you can pay extra for Signed For or Special Delivery Guaranteed, which add tracking and a signature on delivery. Prices change periodically, so check the current rate before posting.

Write the delivery address in the lower-right half of the envelope, one element per line:

• Recipient name
• Building number and street
• Locality (only if needed)
• POST TOWN in capital letters
• Postcode on its own final line (e.g. M20 6XY)

The county is not usually needed. Put the return address on the back of the envelope or top-left on the front. Our full walkthrough is in how to address mail correctly in the UK.

• 1st Class: next working day (aim, not guaranteed).
• 2nd Class: 2–3 working days.
• International: typically 5–10 working days depending on destination.

For anything with a deadline, keep proof of the date you posted it.

A stamp is only part of the story. Add an envelope, a sheet of paper, and printer ink and the true cost of a DIY letter is closer to £1.10–£1.90 — and you can't buy any of it for just one letter. The realistic minimum outlay runs to £30–£60 in supplies. We break the numbers down in our DIY vs PostPal cost comparison.

PostPal replaces the entire process. Write or upload your letter, enter the address, and pay a flat £4 (UK) or £8 (worldwide). We print it on quality paper, seal it in a proper envelope, apply postage, and hand it to Royal Mail the next business day — then email you a confirmation of posting.

It works for everything from HMRC tax documents and legal notices to personal letters and cards.

Sending mail in the UK is straightforward once you know the basics — pick a class, address it clearly, and post it with time to spare. But if you'd rather skip the stamps, envelopes, and printer entirely, you can do the whole thing online.

Ready to post? Send your first letter with PostPal for £4.