Royal Mail on Bank Holidays — Will My Post Be Delivered?

Royal Mail does not deliver post on bank holidays — and there are no collections from postboxes that day. Plan ahead if you have time-sensitive items.

What Royal Mail does on a bank holiday

Letterbox deliveries are paused. Postbox collections are paused. Most local Crown post offices and Royal Mail branches are closed (some larger high-street branches may open with reduced hours).

What about Special Delivery and tracked mail?

Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm: NOT delivered on bank holidays. Items posted on a working day for next-day delivery will still be delivered the next working day.

Tracked 24 / Tracked 48: paused over the bank holiday — adds at least one day to expected delivery time.

Posting before a bank holiday

To get an item delivered before a bank holiday Monday, post by Friday’s last collection. The Friday collection will deliver Saturday for first-class items where Saturday delivery is offered.

Christmas exception

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and any substitute days have the same rules — no deliveries, no collections, branches closed. The Royal Mail website publishes a Christmas posting timetable each year, usually a couple of months ahead.

What about parcel couriers (DHL, DPD, Hermes/Evri)?

Each courier has its own bank holiday policy. Most do not deliver on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day or Easter Sunday. Some (DPD, DHL) maintain reduced services on minor bank holidays. Always check the courier’s website on the day.