Evri and Royal Mail Christmas posting deadlines confirmed

With millions of extra cards, presents, and parcels being shipped across the UK in December, people need to be aware of the posting deadlines in place. Royal Mail and Evri have both confirmed when it will be too late to guarantee delivery before Christmas Day.

If you are planning on sending festive cards or gifts, it’s best to know when there’s a chance it won’t arrive in time for the big day. People should plan ahead and try to get any items shipped and in the system before these deadlines.

The posting deadlines for sending parcels in the UK with Evri are:

• Friday, December 19: This is the last day for courier collections or sending a parcel by standard delivery from an Evri ParcelShop or Locker (by 11am)

• Saturday, December 20: This is the last day for sending a parcel next-day delivery from an Evri ParcelShop or Locker (by 11am)

Evri bosses are advising that customers should plan ahead. People may want to aim for a few days before the actual deadlines for peace of mind, reports the Mirror.

Royal Mail experiences a surge in extra demand for its service in the lead-up to Christmas, with more parcels and gifts in the system, in addition to any non-festive deliveries that need to be made. It has also issued a deadline to the public in order to prevent any disappointment over undelivered cards and presents by Christmas Day.

The dates below apply to posts being sent within the UK to other UK addresses. There are separate dates and deadlines for international post.

• Wednesday, December 17: 2nd Class / 2nd Class Signed For

• Friday, December 19: Royal Mail Tracked 48®

• Saturday, December 20: 1st Class / 1st Class Signed For

• Sunday, December 21: Royal Mail Tracked 24®

• Tuesday, December 23: Special Delivery Guaranteed

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Last posting dates are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. It’s always advisable to post as early as possible to ensure that your Christmas letters and parcels reach their destination in good time.”

The average time to send an item by post in the lead-up to Christmas in the UK varies significantly by service. To ensure Christmas delivery, you must meet the last posting dates, though these dates can be affected by things like severe weather or strike action, so always aim to get items posted as soon as possible.

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