How to Send a Package in the UK

• Be sure to box up your package with plenty of padding and tape to protect it during its journey.
• If you're sending a package to the UK from the US, fill out a customs form and attach it to the package with clear tape or an adhesive envelope.
• If you're mailing a pack from within the UK, you can conveniently purchase postage online with the Royal Mail App and drop it into your postbox, or you can take the package to a customer service point.

Sending a Package from the US to the UK

Pack your mail in a sturdy box and surround it with ample padding. Your package has a long way to go, so make sure to surround the item or items on every side so it can’t slide around. Test if there’s enough padding by gently shaking the box side-to-side and up-and-down; if the items clang around, add more packaging materials. Bubble wrap, shredded paper, airbags, foam pieces, or crumpled paper can provide padding without adding too much extra weight to the package. Save the packaging materials when you get mail and reuse them when you have parcels to send out. If the contents of the package are fragile, write “FRAGILE” on each side of the box in large, all-cap letters. Some prohibited items that you can’t ship to the UK include hand sanitizer, aerosols, alcohol, cigarettes, ammunition, fresh fruits and vegetables, nail polish, perfume, marijuana, and explosives.

Tape the sides down with 2 in (51 mm) wide tape. Make sure all the seams are tightly secured. If you need to, overlap 2 pieces of tape. Check to make sure there are no loose flaps on any part of the package. Avoid using twine, bows, ribbon, or other varieties of string to close your package. Those types of materials are likely to get caught or ripped during transportation.

Write a return address label in the upper lefthand corner of the package. If you’re reusing a box, make sure any old labels are removed or marked out with a black permanent marker. Use a pen or marker that will be easily visible against the color of the package, and write as neatly as you possibly can. Include your name or business, address, city, zip code, and country. The return address should look something like this:Maya Pataky123 Star LaneAkron, OH 44304USA Don’t write with pencil—there’s too big a chance it could get smudged and become illegible. Return addresses are required by the United States Postal Service for security purposes.

Write the “to” address in the bottom lefthand corner in capital letters. Use a marker or pen to legibly write the address. Write the name, street address, town, post code, and destination country all in capital letters so that it’s easy to read. For example, a package going to London would look something like this:BOB CLOUDS1234 SUNNY ROADLONDON W1P 6HQUNITED KINGDOM

Fill out a customs form online or in person at the post office. All packages going from the US to the UK must have a customs form on the front. Fill in the required information, including details about the package’s content, weight, and value. Put the completed form into a special customs envelope and peel off the backing to stick it to the top of the package. Make sure the barcode on the form is visible! The official form you need is PS Form 2976-B. Put it inside the correlating plastic envelope, PS Form 2976-E. To find a copy of the customs form, visit https://about.usps.com/forms/ps2976b.pdf. Either get the customs envelope at the post office or order some online for free at https://store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/customs-form-envelope-form-2976e-P_FORM_2976_E. If there isn’t enough space on the top of the package for the customs label, put it on one of the sides.

Calculate the shipping costs and add a postage label to the package. You can calculate, pay for, and print shipping labels from home if you have a printer, or you can take your package to the post office and have them calculate the cost for you. Cost is based on weight, the dimensions of the package, and how quickly you want it to arrive at its destination. To calculate the amount of postage you’ll need, visit https://postcalc.usps.com/?country=10440. For example, a small package weighing less than 4 pounds (1.8 kg) in a 13 by 11 in (330 by 280 mm) box would cost about $75 to ship. To mail a book that weighs a little less than 1 pound (0.45 kg) in a small box or envelope would cost about $56. To mail several candles that weigh about 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a 12 by 12 in (300 by 300 mm) box would cost about $102.

Give packages that weigh less than 10 ounces (280 g) to your mail carrier. If you were able to fill out and print the forms and labels you needed at home, you can give smaller packages directly to your mail carrier and save a trip to the post office. If you give a package to your mail carrier that doesn’t have the right information, it’ll be returned to you.

Drop off packages that weigh more than 10 ounces (280 g) at the post office. Larger packages have to be taken directly to the post office. While you’re there, you can check that you filled out the customs form correctly and that you’ve paid enough for the postage. You could also schedule a pickup either with your regular mail delivery or at a specific time. To request a pickup, visit https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm.

Check out other mail carriers for larger packages and to compare pricing. USPS is often the least expensive option for international shipping, especially for smaller packages. However, in some cases, companies like FedEx or UPS might be able to save you some money, especially if you’re shipping items that are heavier than 20 pounds (9.1 kg). To get a quote for shipping from the US to the UK through UPS, visit https://wwwapps.ups.com/ctc/request?loc=en_GB. To get a quote from FedEx, visit https://www.fedex.com/ratefinder/home.

Mailing a Package within the UK

Package your shipment in a sturdy box with lots of padding. Use lots of bubble wrap or shredded paper to ensure the contents of the package won’t slip around in transit. If you shake the box back-and-forth and can hear or feel the contents moving around, add more padding. To seal the box, use vinyl or nylon tape around all the edges. If the contents are delicate or breakable, add a “FRAGILE” sticker to the package. If you’re mailing perishable baked goods, wrap them in plastic wrap and then surround them in bubble wrap to keep them as safe and as fresh as possible. Use an insulated foam container if you’re mailing food items that need to remain cold. You could also use gel packs or dry ice to keep the food from getting warm.

Write your return address on the top or side of the package. If there is space, put the return address in the upper lefthand corner; if there isn’t space, put it on one of the sides of the package. Include your name or business name, street address, village or area, city, and postal code. Make the very first line of the return address say “Return Address.” Your return address will look something like this:Return AddressJoy Glades77 Bright LaneHeswallBournemouthBH1 1AA

Put the “to” address on the top of the package in the bottom lefthand corner. Leave 1–2 inches (25–51 mm) of space between the end of the address and the edges of the package if possible. Write legibly with a marker or pen that’s easy to see against the color of the box. If necessary, use a white label and write the address on top of that. Write the town’s name and post code in capital letters only. For example, the address might look something like this:Wallace Bumble345 Fromage LaneHeswallBOURNEMOUTHBH1 1AA

Download the Royal Mail App if you’d like to purchase postage online. The app lets you track your packages, buy and print labels from home, measure your package for accurate postage, and keep track of shipments. You could also take your package to a customer service point if you don’t have a smartphone. If you have the app but can’t print labels at home, you can still purchase postage on the app and have the label printed for you when you take your shipment to a Royal Mail customer service point.

Drop your mail into a postbox or take it to a customer service point. If your package will fit inside a postbox and you printed the postage at home, you can simply put it inside the postbox and be on your way. If it’s too large or if you need to buy postage still, you’ll need to take it directly to your local customer service point to mail it. If you need proof of postage, visit a customer service point to have them process the package. If your package is over 2 kilograms (4.4 lb), it shouldn’t go in a postbox.