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Royal Mail postage costs: a confusion-busting guide

Since April 2013, any parcel or package sent in the UK has to be measured and weighed before postage costs are calculated. Previously, items were classified on the basis of weight alone, but Royal Mail introduced a new set of prices that they believed were more in line with the actual cost of handling and delivering items, taking into account the fact that some larger, lighter items need to be delivered by van.

The changes led to some initial confusion amongst consumers used to the old posting measures, whilst subsequent changes merely muddied the waters further. In October 2013, Royal Mail introduced a second small parcel size to allow people to post either wide, shallow parcels (max 45cm x 35cm x 8cm) or narrow, deep parcels (max 35cm x 25cm x 16cm) as a small parcel.

Thankfully, these two 'small' sizes were replaced by a single small parcel, which combines the larger dimensions of the previous versions (max 45cm x 35cm x 16cm). This forms part of a more straightforward pricing structure, which we summarise for you below.

The following guidelines should help you calculate your postage and avoid unexpected delivery costs. Please note that prices are subject to change (see 'Royal Mail postage costs' table for the latest prices) but, until further notice, the classification of parcels remains as follows.

Royal Mail size and weight allowances for UK post

All parcels to be posted are classified as either small, medium or large - based on both their weight and dimensions - and the cost of postage calculated accordingly.

Format	Max. length	Max. width	Max. thickness	Max. weight	Examples
Letter	24cm	16.5cm	0.5cm	100g	Standard letter, greeting card, postcard
Large letter	35.3cm	25cm	2.5cm	750g	Small books, magazines, CDs & DVDs (in cases)
Small parcel	45cm	35cm	16cm	2kg	Books, clothing, DVD box sets, toys and gifts
Medium parcel	61cm	46cm	46cm	20kg	Larger items of clothing, footwear, household appliances

Royal Mail postage costs

Royal Mail UK Standard delivery costs for parcels sent within the UK from 31 March 2016:

		1st Class	2nd Class
Size	Weight up to and including	Price	Price
Letter	100g	64p	55p
Large Letter	100g	96p	75p
	250g	£1.27	£1.20
	500g	£1.71	£1.54
	750g	£2.46	£2.09
Small Parcel	1kg	£3.35	£2.85
	2kg	£5.50	£2.85
Medium Parcel	1kg	£5.70	£4.95
	2kg	£8.95	£4.95
	5kg	£15.85	£13.75
	10kg	£21.90	£20.25
	20kg	£33.40	£28.55
Includes compensation up to		£20.00	£20.00

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Mailing Bags

Mailing bags come in a wide variety of styles, shapes and sizes and can be made from a wide variety of materials that include paper, plastic, vinyl and canvas, as well as others. They are designed according to the different types of products that need to be posted. Mailing bags have many functions that also go above and beyond just safely transporting your package. These additional functions range from protection of the product from weather or punctures to getting out a sales and promotional message. Plastic, or polythene mailing bags are becoming quite a popular choice in today's business world as well as a popular mailing bag choice for personal mailing needs as well. This is due to the wide variety of choices on the market today in the types of available polythene mailing bags with a wide range of sizes and colours. Their additional features also appeal to many different customers for a wide range of uses, both business and personal.

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Clear plastic mail bags

Clear plastic mail bags work great for sending magazines, brochures, newsletters or any other type of mailing in which it may be to your advantage to use clear packaging. Usually these clear plastic mailers are highly tamper resistant and come with a self seal. You can attach address labels or you can also use their write on panels for addressing your packaging. Perhaps the type of mailing you do on a regular basis is a bit more confidential or you mail a different type of product in which clear plastic mail bags will not work for you. There are so many other options available in colored plastic mailing bags for you to choose from as well that you're sure to find the right product for your needs.

Custom-printed polythene mailing bags

Along with the various types available today, they can also be pre-printed. You can have your return address or a personalized message designed on your polythene bags. This can also be a great marketing tool as you can add a company logo or slogan and promotional messages that will be highly visible as you package travels to its destination. These custom-printed polythene mailing bags can be printed in large quantities on just about any type of plastic mail order bag you may need. Plastic mailing bags can also be made to look highly professional and very attractive to your customer base, no matter what type of polythene mailer you use. Sometimes businesses also use custom printed plastic mail bags as business and corporate gifts to employees or other businesses as the message can be personalized in any fashion needed for any occasion.

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Royal Mail's last posting dates for Christmas 2016

If you are sending a card or present to a loved one this Christmas, or if you need to get a delivery to a customer before Santa gets there himself, the Royal Mail's last Christmas posting dates are an important addition to your calendar.

The table below lists the all-important dates for regular UK services and international services (formerly Airmail). For further information visit royalmail.com/greetings.

UK Services

Tue 20 December	2nd Class (including 'Signed For' mail)
Wed 21 December	1st Class (including 'Signed For' mail)
Thu 22 December	Special Delivery (guaranteed delivery on Fri 23 December)
Fri 23 December	Special Delivery Saturday (guaranteed delivery on Christmas Eve)

International Standard (formerly Airmail), Tracking and Signature Services

Sat 3 December	Africa, Middle East
Wed 7 December	Cyprus, Asia, Far East, Eastern Europe
Thu 8 December	Caribbean, Central & South America
Sat 10 December	Greece, Australia, New Zealand
Wed 14 December	Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland
Thu 15 December	Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA
Fri 16 December	Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
Sat 17 December	Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg