Are you sending Christmas cards or presents through the post this year?

If you are, it’ll be helpful to know when you can send your post to make sure it gets to its destination in time. That’s why Royal Mail has announced this year’s recommended final dates for sending post before Christmas.

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.

Royal Mail recommends final posting dates for Christmas

If you’re sending post with 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For postage, the last recommended posting date is Wednesday, December 18.

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

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

Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at 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.”

How to make sure your post arrives safely

You’ll want your Christmas gifts and cards to arrive safely so make sure you write the full address clearly on the item of mail and always include the full postcode.

It’s also important 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.

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How to avoid scams

Royal Mail warns Brits to beware of scams and counterfeit stamps

If you need tips on how to determine if an email, text message or phone call is from Royal Mail and how to report anything suspicious, you can visit the website.

The company is reminding the public to remain extra vigilant during the festive season because often at this time of year, it sees an increase in online scam attempts as fraudsters look for opportunities to steal money and valuable information from people expecting a delivery.

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.