Royal Mail Prices 2026: Full Breakdown
Every Royal Mail service, every size, every price. Bookmark this page — we keep it current with the April 2026 tariff.
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Royal Mail raised prices again in April 2026, with 2nd Class stamps now at 85p and 1st Class at £1.70. Parcels saw smaller increases, but the gap between stamps and parcels is narrowing. Here is the complete picture for posting letters, large letters and small parcels.
Letters and large letters
| Size | Weight | 1st Class | 2nd Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Up to 100g | £1.70 | £0.85 |
| Large letter | Up to 100g | £2.60 | £1.55 |
| Large letter | 101–250g | £3.20 | £2.10 |
| Large letter | 251–500g | £3.90 | £2.70 |
| Large letter | 501–750g | £4.60 | £3.30 |
A large letter must be under 353mm x 250mm x 25mm. Once you exceed any of those dimensions, you are into small parcel territory and prices jump sharply.
Small parcels (up to 2kg)
| Weight | 1st Class | 2nd Class | Tracked 24 | Tracked 48 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2kg | £4.99 | £3.89 | £5.15 | £3.99 |
Medium parcels (up to 20kg)
| Weight | Tracked 24 | Tracked 48 | Special Delivery 1pm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2kg | £6.85 | £5.45 | £8.45 |
| 2–5kg | £9.50 | £8.10 | £11.70 |
| 5–10kg | £13.85 | £12.45 | £16.20 |
| 10–20kg | £19.95 | £18.55 | £24.95 |
Signed For and Special Delivery
Signed For is a 95p add-on to 1st or 2nd Class post. It gives you proof of delivery but no compensation upgrade beyond the base service. Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm is a fully tracked service with £750 compensation included as standard (upgradable to £2,500 for an extra £3).
For anything valuable, Special Delivery is the only Royal Mail product we recommend. The £750 cover alone justifies the extra £2–3 over Tracked 24.
Size rules that catch people out
- Small parcel: under 45cm x 35cm x 16cm, up to 2kg.
- Medium parcel: under 61cm x 46cm x 46cm, up to 20kg.
- Anything longer than 61cm on its longest side is not accepted — use a courier like DPD or Parcelforce.
Compared to the cheapest courier alternatives, Royal Mail Tracked 48 beats Evri on parcels under 1kg but loses on anything heavier. Always run a price comparison before booking.