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Christmas last posting dates 2026: Royal Mail and Parcelforce
The quick answer
The lowest price for a parcel service on 27 Oct 2026 is £1.99 from InPost: Locker or Shop to an InPost Locker or Shop (Small parcel up to 2kg · locker · InPost). The table compares 55 prices from 7 sellers, read from each seller's own site. Same small parcel (up to 2kg), tracked: InPost £1.99, Yodel £2.89, Evri £3.52, Royal Mail £3.75, Interparcel £3.96.
By Bez, EditorPrices checked 27 Oct 2026, quotes from 26 Oct 2026
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Interparcel
InPost Shop
Small parcel up to 2kg · drop off · InPost
Price
£3.96
55 deals · best value first
The deals, ranked by what you really pay
AffiliateRanked by price, read from each seller's own site. Prices checked on each provider's own site, 27 Oct 2026; quotes carry their own date.
Royal Mail last posting dates 2026
Royal Mail's last recommended UK posting dates for Christmas 2026 fall between Friday 18 December and Wednesday 23 December. Find your service in the list below.
- Friday 18 December: 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For
- Saturday 19 December: Royal Mail Tracked 48
- Monday 21 December: 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 24
- Wednesday 23 December: Special Delivery Guaranteed
Royal Mail says these dates were correct when published and may change, so post as early as possible. Compare Royal Mail parcel options now to find the cheapest way to send your gifts on time.
Parcelforce and Special Delivery
Parcelforce's last UK posting dates for Christmas 2026 are Monday 21 December for express48 and Tuesday 22 December for express10. express10 gives you one more day if you're sending with Parcelforce.
Royal Mail's Special Delivery Guaranteed has the latest posting date of Wednesday 23 December. Choose a faster service when a gift must arrive by a set date. Royal Mail advises posting as early as possible, so don't wait for the last day. Compare couriers in the table below before you book.
Send on time for less
Post early, compare couriers and choose drop-off to keep Christmas parcel costs low. Drop-off at a shop, locker or counter usually costs less than a courier collecting from your door.
Start by sorting the table by real cost. Parcel prices depend on size and weight, so find the size band your parcel fits before you compare. Royal Mail and Parcelforce online prices are cheaper than paying at a Post Office counter, so book online.
Pay for tracking on gifts that must arrive in time. A tracked service lets you follow your parcel online until it is delivered. For more ways to save, see cheapest parcel delivery.
Straight answers
Questions people ask
- What is the last day to post for Christmas 2026?
- Royal Mail's last recommended posting day for Christmas 2026 is Wednesday 23 December, but only for Special Delivery Guaranteed. For 2nd Class post, the last recommended day is Friday 18 December. Royal Mail says these dates can change, so post as early as possible.
- When is the last 1st Class posting date?
- The last 1st Class posting date for Christmas 2026 is Monday 21 December 2026. The same day is also the last date for 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 24. Royal Mail advises posting as early as possible, so you have time to spare.
- What is the latest I can send a parcel before Christmas?
- The latest recommended posting date for Christmas is Wednesday 23 December, for Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed. For parcels sent with Parcelforce, the latest is express10 on Tuesday 22 December. Royal Mail says its dates can change, so post your parcel as early as possible.
Keep comparing
Your next question, answered
- Cheapest parcel deliveryThe cheapest way to send a small, medium or large parcel in the UK: Royal Mail, Evri, InPost, DPD, Parcelforce and Interparcel compared, drop-off and collection.
- Large parcelsCheapest ways to send a large or heavy parcel up to 15kg in the UK, drop-off and collection, every courier side by side.
- Royal Mail parcelsRoyal Mail parcel prices for small, medium and large UK parcels, read from Royal Mail's own prices and set beside every other courier.
