Royal Mail announces last recommended posting dates for Christmas

Royal Mail today announced the last recommended posting dates for Christmas to ensure customers' Christmas cards, letters and festive parcels arrive with loved ones in time for the big day.

The company will be adding extra deliveries up to 8pm to meet the increased demand in the run up to Christmas and the growing number of next day parcels. There will also be an increase in processing operations on Sundays to help manage the surge on Mondays following people shopping online at weekends.

For 2^nd Class and 2^nd Class Signed For, the last recommended posting date is Wednesday 18 December.

For 1^st Class, 1^st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48, it's Friday 20 December.

For Royal Mail Tracked 24 the last recommended posting date is Saturday 21 December and for Special Delivery Guaranteed it's Monday 23 December.

Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Mail, said: "Every year we pull out all the stops to deliver Christmas for our customers. We will have an additional 16,000 seasonal workers and almost 4,000 new vans, trucks and trailers added to the fleet in time for Christmas. It's our busiest time of year and we plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for UK consumers and businesses."

To ensure Christmas gifts and cards arrive safely, there are a few key things customers should remember - make sure the full address is written clearly on the item of mail, and always include the full postcode.

Customers should also ensure that the correct amount of postage has been applied to avoid any delays or extra charges for the recipient. More information on our Christmas posting is available on the Royal Mail website at www.royalmail.com/greetings.

Beware scams and counterfeit stamps:
We also want to remind customers to remain extra vigilant during the festive season. Often at this time of year we see an increase in online scam attempts, as fraudsters look for opportunities to steal money and valuable information from people expecting a delivery. Click here for some helpful tips on how to determine if an email, text message or phone call is from Royal Mail, and how to report anything suspicious.

Royal Mail has launched a stamp scanner to provide extra reassurance to customers who may be unsure about whether a stamp is counterfeit or not. Customers who download the app can use it to check whether it is a known counterfeit, preventing them from inadvertently becoming victims of fraud.