Do Royal Mail Deliver on Sundays?
If you’re wondering “does Royal Mail deliver on Sundays?” the short answer is yes, but only for specific services like the Tracked24 parcel delivery service and Special Delivery Guaranteed. This article will cover all the details on Royal Mail’s Sunday delivery operations, which services include it, any exceptions or restrictions, typical delivery times, and the potential future expansion of 7-day service.
Royal Mail’s Regular Delivery Schedule
Royal Mail’s standard delivery service operates Monday through Saturday, excluding bank holidays. For regular mail sent by 1st class, you can expect delivery the next working day. 2nd class letters are delivered two days after posting.
The company is obligated under the Universal Service Obligation (USO) to deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million UK addresses at an affordable, uniform price.
Sunday Parcel Delivery with Tracked24 Service
In 2014, Royal Mail introduced a trial for Sunday parcel deliveries using their Tracked24 service. This caters to the growing demand from online retailers and customers for weekend order fulfillment.
The Tracked24 service is currently used by around 12,000 online retailers to meet consumer expectations for prompt parcel deliveries, even on Sundays. It allows online orders placed over the weekend to potentially arrive the very next day.
Royal Mail saw the value in expanding delivery operations to 7 days a week for parcel shipments to serve the booming e-commerce market. After a successful trial, Sunday Tracked24 deliveries were rolled out nationwide.
Special Delivery Guaranteed – Letters & Parcels on Sundays
Tracked24 service for online order parcels. Special Delivery Guaranteed includes Sunday letter, parcel delivery.
For guaranteed Sunday delivery, pay for Special Delivery Guaranteed service. Your item will arrive next day, including Sundays
So individuals and businesses can use Special Delivery Guaranteed to get important letters and parcels delivered 7 days a week when speed is essential.
Postcode Exceptions for Sunday Delivery
Postcode exceptions exist where Royal Mail does not deliver Sundays for Tracked24, Special Delivery Guaranteed.
The following UK postcode areas have complete exclusions, with no Sunday deliveries:
- AB, BT, GY, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW, ZE
And these postcode areas have partial exclusions, where some districts do not get Sunday delivery:
- DD9, 10, 11
- DG5-9
- FK17-21
- KA27-30
- KY10, 14-16
- PA20-38, 41-49, 60-78, 80
- PH5-9, 11-13, 15-26, 30-50
- PO30-41
- TD5, 15
- TR21-25
Check if postcode eligible for Royal Mail Sunday premium service delivery.
Typical Sunday Delivery Times and Operations
For the areas that do receive Sunday delivery, when can you expect your parcels or Special Delivery items?
Royal Mail Sunday deliveries typically start around 9 AM and can continue until late evening in some areas, potentially up to 7:30 PM. The shifts and hours are often extended compared to a normal weekday delivery.
To handle the additional Sunday workload, Royal Mail uses a combination of temporary staff, delivery office volunteers working overtime, and agency staff. This allows them to scale up operations for the premium 7-day services.
You should receive a notification with an estimated delivery window once your item is scanned and on its way for Sunday delivery.
Future of Sunday Delivery & Potential Expansion
Sunday delivery limited to Tracked24 parcels, Special Delivery Guaranteed. Royal Mail open to expand operations.
As customer demand increases for 7-day delivery, especially in the e-commerce sector, Royal Mail may add more Sunday services beyond just parcels and Special Delivery. Many businesses across various industries have already shifted to 7-day operating models.
Offering more comprehensive Sunday delivery could help Royal Mail stay competitive and meet evolving consumer expectations in the age of online shopping and on-demand shipping.
FAQs on Royal Mail Sunday Delivery
Can you send items for Sunday via the Post Office?
No, you cannot take letters or parcels to a Post Office branch on Saturday for Sunday delivery. Items for Sunday must go through pre-arranged business collections or services like Royal Mail’s Parcel Collect.
Are Royal Mail customer service points open on Sundays?
Most Royal Mail customer service points and delivery offices are closed on Sundays. You can check branch-specific hours on Royal Mail’s website or through their Services Near You locator.
What happens if Sunday delivery is unsuccessful?
If Royal Mail cannot complete delivery as addressed on a Sunday, they will leave a “Sorry we missed you” card. Another delivery attempt will be made the following working day.
Do letters get delivered on Sundays?
For regular mail, letters are not delivered on Sundays. The only exception is if you have paid for Special Delivery Guaranteed, which will deliver letters on Sundays.
Conclusion
In summary, while Royal Mail does not provide standard letter delivery on Sundays, they do offer Sunday delivery for specific premium services like Tracked24 parcel shipping for online orders and Special Delivery Guaranteed letters/parcels.
Check if your postcode allows Sunday delivery. Sunday deliveries may occur late evening.
As online shopping and consumer expectations evolve, Royal Mail may continue to expand their Sunday operations beyond just parcels and premium services. Many businesses have already embraced 7-day delivery models.
So if you need a parcel or urgent letter delivered on Sunday, your options are Royal Mail’s Tracked24 service for online orders or Special Delivery Guaranteed. Just be aware of any postcode exclusions and make sure to use these services to guarantee Sunday fulfillment.
