Royal Mail workers are going on strike throughout December, right before and up to Christmas, which means the last posting dates for Christmas are earlier than usual this year.
Workers are taking industrial action on 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24 December, meaning you will have to send your Christmas cards and parcels in advance.
These are all the important dates you need to know to make sure your items get delivered in time.
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Last posting dates for Christmas 2022
The planned strike action is subject to change, according to the Royal Mail website.
However, at the time of writing these are the last posting dates for Christmas delivery in the UK.
| Date | Delivery |
| Monday 12 December | 2nd Class across the UK, 2nd Class Signed For across the UK. Royal Mail 48 across the UK. |
| Friday 16 December | 1st Class across the UK. 1st Class Signed For across the UK. Royal Mail 24 across the UK |
| Monday 19 December | Special Delivery Guaranteed. Royal Mail Tracked 24 across the UK. |
| Wednesday 21 December | Special Delivery Guaranteed with Saturday Guarantee across the UK. |
The last posting date for delivery to overseas addresses depends on which country you are sending to and what service you use. Check the Royal Mail website for all last posting dates for international destinations.
What are your rights if letters or parcels go missing?
Generally, you have to wait between five and ten working days before you can report an item as missing with Royal Mail. This doesn’t include weekends or public holidays. You should report parcels or letters to the Royal Mail within 80 calendar days from posting.
To claim for a damaged, lost or delayed item you can fill in a P58 form. You can get this from Post Office branches and could then be due compensation, but this depends on the service you paid for. If a first or second-class letter goes missing you could get a book of six first-class stamps as compensation.
If you have paid for a premium service, such as Special Delivery, you could get your postage fee refunded alongside compensation for the cost of the item posted. This can be up to £2,500, but you can also buy “consequential loss cover” at time of posting. That covers up to £10,000.
If you purchase something and your parcel is delayed or missing you should contact the company you purchased the item from, not the courier. It’s the sellers responsibility to get the item to you, and if there was to be a problem they are the ones who should reimburse you.
What if my post is delayed because of the Royal Mail strikes?
You can still file a claim with Royal Mail if your item is lost or delayed. However the postal service has advertised the dates well in advance.
Post Offices will be open as usual on strike days, but collections will be limited. Delivery offices and customer service centres will be closed, so you won’t be able to collect or drop items off during these dates.
That’s why it could be a good idea to beat the rush and send your packages off before the last posting dates for Christmas deliveries.
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