Royal Mail delivery times

[rookgizzardpie]

How early are you/have you sent parcels to other parts of the UK for Christmas?

The Royal Mail site says last posting date for 1st class is December 21st and 2nd is the 18th but that seems VERY tight to me! Covid seems to have slowed everything right down, plus obviously Christmas coming up and the fact that a lot more people are doing their Christmas shopping all online this year.

Have you sent/received things late recently? Or within the expected timeframe?

I’d send it soon, I posted something To the midlands last Thursday and it only arrived Today 🤦🏼‍♀️ I checked on the website and apparently they are delivering until 9pm at the moment too.

I might add it was signed for aswell...

There are massive delays with Royal Mail just now. Everything I've sent/had sent to me has been at least a week late.
If you're planning on posting something I would do it ASAP.

I sent a parcel yesterday in Kent going to the Scottish highlands , signed for and insured (£11) and it arrived today , I was very impressed as the post office lady really stressed that they couldn’t guarantee when it would arrive .

@floralnomad i had a similar experience. Posting from England to the scottish islands, post office woman women was clear in telling me that the 72 guarantee doesnt count for that post code, and that it might take longer which i know and was expecting. But it arrived within 48 hours!

Post office today told me there’s a three week back log already

We’re only getting post once a week at the moment (east London) so I do think post as early as you can. DH is a postman and they are just completely swamped at the moment.

His weekly payslip arrives every Thursday usually, today he has just received last weeks.

First class is taking about 5 days in London and that was over a week ago !!....I sent a small parcel. Still waiting for some things to arrive that are late.

Royal mail delays here - www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55263177

Sent a large letter from Glasgow to Bristol first class, collected on the 4th and arrived on the 15th.

I posted 3 parcels first class on Monday this week and they all arrived today.

Royal Mail have said recently they advise people not to wait till the last guaranteed posting date. I’d send as soon as possible.

First class tracked taking two days rather than one here, although I suspect that’ll get worse over the next week or so. If you want fast service special delivery might be an option.

A shop from where I live sent me something on a Thursday. It took til Tuesday for it to arrive despite it being 1st class and being 4 miles between us.
I sent 3 parcels same day and 1 arrived day after , 1 3 days later (same city) and the other one I think it took 5 days

Rm is quite busy at the moment and cuz of self isolation they’re really struggling. My post man doesn’t come here everyday as they used to.

Seems to be a big variation on how long deliveries are taking, thanks for replies. I’m off to the post office tomorrow and considering special delivery.

I usually would have everything sent by now but waiting for online orders to arrive caused the delay in me sending them out!

I think it really varies. I ordered something and it arrived two days later but still waiting on parcels from a week agoZ I managed to get mine in the post yesterday. I did the postage online and went to one of those parcel boxes as the queues at the post office were huge

I haven't had any problems so far this year, actually they've been super speedy.

Even paid for guaranteed delivery by a tone isn't being kept to. I'm still waiting for my 1pm delivery to turn up.
The original attempt took 7 days to turn up with a first class stamp which is why attempt #2 was sent guaranteed delivery - we got fed up of waiting for the documents being naive in that 1st class wouldn't take that long