Send Letters Online
Post Office branches across the UK keep different hours depending on whether they are a main Crown branch, a franchise inside a supermarket, or a small sub-post office. If you have ever arrived to find the shutters down, this guide will help you plan ahead and show you how to post a letter without visiting at all.
Standard Post Office opening hours
Most UK Post Office branches follow a broadly similar pattern, though exact times vary by branch type:
| Day | Typical hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 9:00 am to 5:30 pm | Some Crown branches open until 6:00 pm |
| Saturday | 9:00 am to 12:30 pm | Many branches close at noon; supermarket branches often stay open later |
| Sunday | Closed (most branches) | Supermarket branches may open 10:00 am to 4:00 pm |
| Bank holidays | Closed | Some supermarket branches operate reduced hours |
Hours shown are typical. Always verify your local branch via the Post Office branch finder before travelling.
Types of Post Office branch and how hours differ
There are three main types of Post Office branch in the UK, and they keep noticeably different hours:
- Crown Post Offices are the larger, standalone branches run directly by Post Office Ltd. They typically offer the fullest weekday hours and Saturday morning opening, and are the most reliably open. There are around 115 Crown branches in the UK.
- Franchise branches are operated by third-party retailers (often inside WHSmith, supermarkets or convenience stores). Their hours are tied to the host retailer, which means they can have longer hours (including evenings and Sundays) or shorter ones, depending on the partner.
- Sub-post offices are small branches typically run inside corner shops or newsagents. Hours are entirely at the operator's discretion and often shorter: many close for lunch, close early on certain days, or have irregular hours.
Bank holiday closures in 2026
Most Post Office branches close on UK bank holidays. In England and Wales, the main bank holidays in 2026 are:
- New Year's Day: 1 January 2026
- Good Friday: 3 April 2026
- Easter Monday: 6 April 2026
- Early May Bank Holiday: 4 May 2026
- Spring Bank Holiday: 25 May 2026
- Summer Bank Holiday: 31 August 2026
- Christmas Day: 25 December 2026
- Boxing Day: 28 December 2026
Scotland and Northern Ireland have additional bank holidays. Franchise branches inside supermarkets sometimes open on bank holidays with reduced hours, but this varies by retailer and location.
How to find your local Post Office hours
The most reliable way to check a specific branch's hours is the Post Office branch finder on the official Post Office website (postoffice.co.uk). You can search by postcode and see real-time information on opening times, services available, and any temporary closures.
Google Maps also usually shows current Post Office hours, though it can sometimes lag behind changes. For time-sensitive trips, the official branch finder is more accurate.
What to do when the Post Office is closed
If you need to post a letter and your local branch is shut, or if visiting in person is simply inconvenient, you can use an online letter posting service. You write or upload your letter in a browser, enter the recipient's address, choose a Royal Mail service (Second Class, First Class, Tracked 24 or Tracked 48), and pay. A fulfilment centre prints, folds and seals the letter and hands it to Royal Mail, usually the same day if ordered before 1:30 pm on weekdays.
There is no need for a printer, stamps, or an envelope. The letter arrives through the recipient's letterbox as a normal Royal Mail letter, indistinguishable from one posted at a branch.
Send a letter without leaving the house
Send Letters Online lets you post a letter via Royal Mail any time. No branch visit, no stamps, no printer required. From £2.99 with same-day dispatch before 1:30 pm.
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