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With Christmas just days away, many of us will be frantically caught up in the last-minute shopping rush, whether it’s ordering gifts, sending cards or buying supplies. But time is fast running out to make sure deliveries arrive on time – and you’ll probably have to fork out for express or next-day delivery at this point.
There is always huge demand for postal and courier services at this time of year, meaning orders can take longer to arrive than you might expect. And Royal Mail workers walking out on strike again on December 23 and December 24 is bound to cause more delays to card and parcel deliveries.
With this in mind, major delivery companies – including Royal Mail, DPD, Evri, Amazon and Yodel – have provided deadlines for Christmas, as reported by ChronicleLive. These provide a guide as to the very last date you can order and still expect your delivery to arrive by Christmas day – but bear in mind unexpected delays and unforeseen issues can still happen.
READ MORE: The price of a first class stamp could rise above £1, the Royal Mail has warned
Royal Mail
It’s risky sending anything via Royal Mail at this point, especially given the strikes this week. The final postal dates for 2nd Class, 2nd Class Signed For, Royal Mail 48, 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, Royal Mail 24, Royal Mail Tracked 48 and evenn Royal Mail Tracked 24 have now all passed already.
However, you can still send by Special Delivery Guaranteed until tomorrow (Wednesday, December 21).
DPD
For collection services, the last date for delivery to the UK is December 22 – but for a parcel to be collected by this date, a booking needs to be made online by December 21. For drop-off services, your booked parcel must be with your local drop shop on or before December 22.
Evri
Evri’s standard service might be a bit risky now, so it’s recommended to use their next-day service. If it’s received by 11am on December 22, it should arrive on Friday, December 23 – any later and you may be disappointed.
Amazon
The online retail giant can deliver up until midnight on Christmas Eve in some cases. Standard shipping would be a big risk as Amazon recommended ordering by the end of yesterday (December 19).
However, Priority Delivery has a timeframe of two business days after the item is dispatched, meaning orders could be made as late as December 22. This option is free for Amazon Prime members and costs 99p for anyone else.
Same-day delivery is also available on some items, which again is free for Prime members or £5.99 per delivery for non-members. Same-day deliveries can arrive between 6pm and 10 pm, but it only available to certain postcodes so make sure to check.
Yodel
Yodel doesn’t list a specific cut-off date on its website. Parcels sent with its store-to-door service are aimed to be delivered within two working days of being dropped off at a participating store, so anything posted by December 21 could still arrive in time.
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