Royal Mail urges people to put four-word warning on door to avoid possible suspension

With Easter on the horizon, potentially bringing increased parcels for many households, it’s sensible for people to take action immediately.

Royal Mail has advised certain customers to think about putting up a four-word notice, warning that failing to take appropriate action could lead to the firm being forced to “suspend deliveries to your address.” With Easter on the horizon, potentially bringing increased parcels for many households, it’s sensible for people to take action immediately.

Figures released on the Royal Mail website on 30 June 2025 show that dog attacks on postal workers increased by 2% over the previous year, reaching 2,197 incidents. This equates to approximately 42 attacks each week nationwide, with some delivery personnel sustaining permanent or life-changing injuries.

To address this issue, Royal Mail is championing simple measures that can safeguard its workers while maintaining uninterrupted delivery services. One straightforward solution is a four-word postcard reading “I have a dog.”

This printable sign alerts the delivery worker to wait while you secure your pet, giving you adequate time to confine them in another room. Postal staff will remain patient for you to answer the door.

In letters dispatched to customers, Royal Mail recognised that while “receiving your letters and parcels” matters, its main concern is “to get these items to you safely, and I’m hoping that you can help me with that.” The letter revealed a stark statistic: “Around 2,000 posties like me are injured by dogs each year, both big and small. When this happens, we must inform the Police and suspend deliveries to your address, as we can’t take the chance that the dog may attack again.”, reports the Daily Record.

These are the top postcode areas for dog attacks on postal workers.

1st The S (Sheffield) postcode area saw a worrying 61% rise in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, a sharp contrast to the 18% decline recorded the previous year. A total of 66 attacks were logged in 2024/25, compared with 41 in 2023/24. Significantly, the S postcode area has featured on every high-risk list for dog attacks since postcode-specific data was first published. This marks the fourth occasion it has been the most hazardous location for dog attacks.

2nd Dog attacks in the PO (Portsmouth) area were slightly lower than last year – with 60 attacks compared with 62 for 2023/24 – representing a 3% reduction. The postcode area was joint top of dangerous locations for dog attacks last year. The PO postcode area has appeared in the top, most high-risk areas for dog attacks for eight consecutive years and nine in total since Royal Mail began publishing attack figures.

3rd The TN (Kent/Sussex/Surrey) postcode area saw a 33% rise in dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, after a 35% drop in 2023/24. A total of 56 attacks were logged in the latest period, compared with 42 the previous year. The TN postcode area has featured on the list of most dangerous areas for dog attacks for 11 consecutive years and was ranked as the most dangerous location for postal workers in 2023/24.

4th This marks the second occasion the GU (Guildford) postcode area has appeared on the high-risk list since 19/20. The 54 attacks recorded this year represent a 29% rise from last year’s 42 incidents. This is the sixth occasion the postcode area has featured on the most dangerous locations list for dog attacks since Royal Mail started reporting postcode-specific figures.

5th The NG (Nottingham) postcode recorded 49 dog attacks on postal workers this year. This represents a 17% rise from the 42 attacks in 2023/24. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the NG postcode area has appeared in the list of most dangerous locations for dog attacks – last year it was the 6th most unsafe location in the UK for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers. The postcode area has appeared in the high-risk locations nine times since Royal Mail started reporting postcode-specific figures.

6th The CM (Chelmsford) and BN (Brighton) postcode areas are the joint sixth highest-risk locations with 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers reported in each location. The BN (Brighton) postcode area has reported 47 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers this year, marking a slight 2% decrease from the 48 incidents reported in 2023/24. This is the ninth consecutive year that the BN area has featured on the high-risk list since Royal Mail began releasing location-specific data. Last year, it ranked fourth-highest in risk and was deemed the most dangerous location for dog attacks in 2021.

The CM (Chelmsford) postcode area has made the high-risk list for dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers three times since location-specific data was first released. It first appeared on the list in 2018/19 with 38 reported attacks, and again in 2019/20 with 44 incidents.

The BT (Belfast) and NE (Newcastle) postcode areas jointly hold the seventh spot for highest-risk locations, each reporting 45 dog attacks on Royal Mail postal workers.

Dog attacks in the BT (Belfast) postcode area have seen a 27% drop this year compared to the 62 incidents reported in 2023/24. Last year, this postcode area was the second most dangerous place for attacks. The BT postcode area has consistently featured on every dog attack hot-spot list since Royal Mail started releasing location-specific data in 2013, and it has been the most dangerous location for attacks five times.

The SN (Swindon) postcode area has made the high-risk locations list for the second time. This year saw 44 attacks reported, a 10% increase on the 40 incidents in 2022/23.

The DN (Doncaster) postcode area has made its debut on Royal Mail’s dog attack hot-spot list, a first since location-specific data started being published in 2013. In the most recent reporting year, there were 42 recorded attacks on postal workers, marking a 31% increase from the 32 incidents reported in 2023/24.

The ST (Staffordshire) postcode area has also found its way onto Royal Mail’s list of most dangerous areas for the first time. This year saw 40 reported dog attacks on postal workers, a 33% surge from the 30 incidents recorded in 2023/24.

Lizz Lloyd, Health and Safety Director at Royal Mail, commented: “Dog attacks remain one of the most significant safety risks faced by postal workers. In many cases, these incidents result in serious injuries, emotional distress, and time away from work. Royal Mail continues to call on the public to be vigilant and responsible by securing their pets before opening the door to receive mail or packages.”

She added: “We continue to invest in safety training and awareness campaigns for both employees and the public, but emphasise that community cooperation is essential to reducing these incidents.”