Priority Services Rates 1993-date
CONTENTS
Introduction
The registration and Special Delivery services were combined beginning from 28th June 1993, at a much increased fee. Although compensation had previously only been available with registered post, and guaranteed delivery times only available with Special Delivery, the two services had in fact been very similar in the practical aspects of handling the actual letters.At first the services were kept nominally distinct with their own suitably inscribed labels, but from 12th October 1998 they were all combined into a single service under the Special Delivery banner.
All services offered a guaranteed delivery time, usually 12.30pm or noon on the next working day for most destinations in the UK (although for some remote Scottish locations it was 5.30pm one, two, or even three days later). In 2003 an additional service was introduced for a higher fee, which offered delivery by 9.00am on the next working day to virtually all the locations covered by the standard noon delivery service (now referred to as "Special Delivery Next Day". From 2008 an additional guarantee of Saturday delivery could be obtained for a further fee.
Special Delivery, Registered, Registered Plus 1993-1998
First Day of the new combined service
(To determine which service was actually used for a given cover, check the 4th and 5th bars from the left on the barcoded label on the back: for Registered the 4th bar is thicker, for Special Delivery the 5th.)
The compensation limits throughout were £500 for Registered, £1500 and £2200 for Registered Plus. £50 compensation is mentioned for Special Delivery in 1997. Initially the maximum weight was advertised as 2kg, although later there were also single rates inclusive of postage for any item between 2kg and 10kg, and later still a per-kg additional rate for weights up to 30kg. The dates shown in the table below are the printing dates of the leaflet (actually specific priority services leaflets rather than the general rates leaflets) in which they first appear. From 1997 rates were quoted inclusive of postage in broad weight bands.
| Date | Special Delivery |
Registered | Registered Plus | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £500 | £1500 | £2200 | |||
| 1993 (28 Jun) |
£2.70 + postage up to 2kg £13.50 inclusive up to 10kg Each extra kg up to 30kg - 75p |
£3.00 + postage up to 2kg £13.80 inclusive up to 10kg Each extra kg up to 30kg - 75p |
£3.30 + postage up to 2kg £14.10 inclusive up to 10kg Each extra kg up to 30kg - 75p |
£3.60 + postage up to 2kg £14.40 inclusive up to 10kg Each extra kg up to 30kg - 75p |
First mentions of higher rates: Up to 10kg - Aug 1993 (Registered, Special Delivery), Dec 1995 (Registered Plus) Up to 30kg - Dec 1995 (all) |
| 1997 (27 Jan) |
£3.20 - 100g £3.50 - 500g £4.60 - 1kg £5.85 - 2kg £13.50 - 10kg Each extra kg - 75p |
£3.50 - 100g £3.80 - 500g £4.90 - 1kg £6.15 - 2kg £13.80 - 10kg Each extra kg - 75p |
£4.10 - 100g £4.40 - 500g £5.50 - 1kg £6.75 - 2kg £14.40 - 10kg Each extra kg - 75p |
£4.55 - 100g £4.85 - 500g £5.95 - 1kg £7.20 - 2kg £14.85 - 10kg Each extra kg - 75p |
|
Special Delivery (Next Day) from 1998
| Date | Compensation | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 (12 Oct) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | Basically the Special Delivery and Registered rates and the higher Registered Plus rate rebranded |
| £3.20 - 100g £3.50 - 500g £4.60 - 1kg £5.85 - 2kg £13.50 - 10kg |
£3.50 - 100g £3.80 - 500g £4.90 - 1kg £6.15 - 2kg £13.80 - 10kg |
£4.55 - 100g £4.85 - 500g £5.95 - 1kg £7.20 - 2kg £14.85 - 10kg |
||
| 1999 (26 Apr) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.35 - 100g £3.65 - 500g £4.75 - 1kg £6.00 - 2kg £15.00 - 10kg |
£3.80 - 100g £4.10 - 500g £5.20 - 1kg £6.45 - 2kg £15.45 - 10kg |
£4.70 - 100g £5.00 - 500g £6.10 - 1kg £7.35 - 2kg £16.35 - 10kg |
||
| 2000 (27 Apr) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.50 - 100g £3.80 - 500g £4.95 - 1kg £6.20 - 2kg £17.80 - 10kg |
£3.95 - 100g £4.25 - 500g £5.40 - 1kg £6.65 - 2kg £18.25 - 10kg |
£4.85 - 100g £5.15 - 500g £6.30 - 1kg £7.55 - 2kg £19.15 - 10kg |
||
| 2001 (2 Jul) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.60 - 100g £3.95 - 500g £5.15 - 1kg £6.45 - 2kg £18.30 - 10kg |
£4.05 - 100g £4.40 - 500g £5.60 - 1kg £6.90 - 2kg £18.75 - 10kg |
£4.95 - 100g £5.30 - 500g £6.50 - 1kg £7.80 - 2kg £19.65 - 10kg |
||
| 2002 (4 Jul) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.65 - 100g £4.00 - 500g £5.15 - 1kg £6.45 - 2kg £18.30 - 10kg |
£4.10 - 100g £4.45 - 500g £5.60 - 1kg £6.90 - 2kg £18.75 - 10kg |
£5.00 - 100g £5.35 - 500g £6.50 - 1kg £7.80 - 2kg £19.65 - 10kg |
||
| 2003 (8 May) |
£250 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.75 - 100g £4.05 - 500g £5.20 - 1kg £6.55 - 2kg £18.50 - 10kg |
£4.20 - 100g £4.50 - 500g £5.65 - 1kg £7.00 - 2kg £18.95 - 10kg |
£5.10 - 100g £5.40 - 500g £6.55 - 1kg £7.90 - 2kg £19.85 - 10kg |
||
| 2005 (7 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £3.85 - 100g £4.25 - 500g £5.35 - 1kg £6.95 - 2kg £19.00 - 10kg |
£4.30 - 100g £4.70 - 500g £5.80 - 1kg £7.40 - 2kg £19.45 - 10kg |
£5.20 - 100g £5.60 - 500g £6.70 - 1kg £8.30 - 2kg £20.35 - 10kg |
||
| 2006 (3 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | The first rate revision to include the price differential between stamped and franked mail. Unusually, the 10kg was reduced for both |
|
Stamped £4.10 - 100g £4.50 - 500g £5.70 - 1kg £7.40 - 2kg £18.50 - 10kg Franked £4.05 - 100g £4.45 - 500g £5.60 - 1kg £7.30 - 2kg £18.40 - 10kg |
Stamped £4.60 - 100g £5.00 - 500g £6.20 - 1kg £7.90 - 2kg £19.00 - 10kg Franked £4.55 - 100g £4.95 - 500g £6.10 - 1kg £7.80 - 2kg £18.90 - 10kg |
Stamped £5.60 - 100g £6.00 - 500g £7.20 - 1kg £8.90 - 2kg £20.00 - 10kg Franked £5.55 - 100g £5.95 - 500g £7.10 - 1kg £8.80 - 2kg £19.90 - 10kg |
||
| 2007 (2 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | |
|
Stamped £4.30 - 100g £4.75 - 500g £6.00 - 1kg £7.75 - 2kg £19.45 - 10kg Franked £4.25 - 100g £4.70 - 500g £5.90 - 1kg £7.65 - 2kg £19.35 - 10kg |
Stamped £4.85 - 100g £5.30 - 500g £6.55 - 1kg £8.30 - 2kg £20.00 - 10kg Franked £4.80 - 100g £5.25 - 500g £6.45 - 1kg £8.20 - 2kg £19.90 - 10kg |
Stamped £5.85 - 100g £6.30 - 500g £7.55 - 1kg £9.30 - 2kg £21.00 - 10kg Franked £5.80 - 100g £6.25 - 500g £7.45 - 1kg £9.20 - 2kg £20.90 - 10kg |
||
| 2008 (7 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.00 extra |
|
Stamped £4.60 - 100g £5.05 - 500g £6.40 - 1kg £8.25 - 2kg £20.70 - 10kg Franked £4.45 - 100g £4.85 - 500g £6.05 - 1kg £7.75 - 2kg £19.70 - 10kg |
Stamped £5.35 - 100g £5.80 - 500g £7.15 - 1kg £9.00 - 2kg £21.45 - 10kg Franked £5.20 - 100g £5.60 - 500g £6.80 - 1kg £8.50 - 2kg £20.45 - 10kg |
Stamped £6.45 - 100g £6.90 - 500g £8.25 - 1kg £10.10 - 2kg £22.55 - 10kg Franked £6.30 - 100g £6.70 - 500g £7.90 - 1kg £9.60 - 2kg £21.55 - 10kg |
||
| 2009 (6 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.20 extra |
|
Stamped £4.95 - 100g £5.40 - 500g £6.70 - 1kg £8.65 - 2kg £21.65 - 10kg Franked £4.80 - 100g £5.20 - 500g £6.35 - 1kg £8.15 - 2kg £20.65 - 10kg |
Stamped £5.80 - 100g £6.25 - 500g £7.55 - 1kg £9.50 - 2kg £22.50 - 10kg Franked £5.65 - 100g £6.05 - 500g £7.20 - 1kg £9.00 - 2kg £21.50 - 10kg |
Stamped £7.40 - 100g £7.85 - 500g £9.15 - 1kg £11.10 - 2kg £24.10 - 10kg Franked £7.25 - 100g £7.65 - 500g £8.80 - 1kg £10.60 - 2kg £23.10 - 10kg |
||
| 2010 (6 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.25 extra (stamp/meter postage, account mail now had separate arrangements) |
|
Stamped £5.05 - 100g £5.50 - 500g £6.70 - 1kg £8.65 - 2kg £21.65 - 10kg Franked £4.87 - 100g £5.20 - 500g £6.29 - 1kg £7.91 - 2kg £20.65 - 10kg |
Stamped £5.90 - 100g £6.35 - 500g £7.55 - 1kg £9.50 - 2kg £22.50 - 10kg Franked £5.72 - 100g £6.05 - 500g £7.14 - 1kg £8.76 - 2kg £21.50 - 10kg |
Stamped £7.60 - 100g £8.05 - 500g £9.25 - 1kg £11.20 - 2kg £24.20 - 10kg Franked £7.42 - 100g £7.75 - 500g £8.84 - 1kg £10.46 - 2kg £23.20 - 10kg |
||
| 2011 (31 Jan) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 |
As a result of the court decision that made a number of Royal Mail services liable to VAT, the cost for Saturday Guarantee (and Consequential Loss) now varied considerably according to weight and whether the mail was stamped or franked (latter available on "smart meters" only). Special Delivery Next Day Stamp and Franking prices were exempt from VAT, however when bought with either additional service the total price now became subject to VAT at the standard rate. |
|
Standard prices - as before With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £8.76 - 100g £9.30 - 500g £10.74 - 1kg £13.08 - 2kg £28.68 - 10kg Franked £8.54 - 100g £8.94 - 500g £10.24 - 1kg £12.19 - 2kg £27.48 - 10kg |
Standard prices - as before With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £9.78 - 100g £10.32 - 500g £11.76 - 1kg £14.10 - 2kg £29.70 - 10kg Franked £9.56 - 100g £9.96 - 500g £11.26 - 1kg £13.21 - 2kg £28.50 - 10kg |
Standard prices - as before With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £11.82 - 100g £12.36 - 500g £13.80 - 1kg £16.14 - 2kg £31.74 - 10kg Franked £11.60 - 100g £12.00 - 500g £13.30 - 1kg £15.25 - 2kg £30.54 - 10kg |
||
| 2011 (4 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | The Saturday Guarantee prices include VAT at 20%. |
|
Stamped £5.45 - 100g £5.90 - 500g £7.00 - 1kg £9.05 - 2kg £22.70 - 10kg Franked £5.26 - 100g £5.58 - 500g £6.57 - 1kg £8.27 - 2kg £21.65 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £9.24 - 100g £9.78 - 500g £11.10 - 1kg £13.56 - 2kg £29.94 - 10kg Franked £9.01 - 100g £9.40 - 500g £10.58 - 1kg £12.62 - 2kg £28.68 - 10kg |
Stamped £6.35 - 100g £6.80 - 500g £7.90 - 1kg £9.95 - 2kg £23.60 - 10kg Franked £6.16 - 100g £6.48 - 500g £7.47 - 1kg £9.18 - 2kg £22.55 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £10.32 - 100g £10.86 - 500g £12.18 - 1kg £14.64 - 2kg £31.02 - 10kg Franked £10.09 - 100g £10.48 - 500g £11.66 - 1kg £13.72 - 2kg £29.76 - 10kg |
Stamped £8.20 - 100g £8.65 - 500g £9.75 - 1kg £11.80 - 2kg £25.45 - 10kg Franked £8.01 - 100g £8.33 - 500g £9.32 - 1kg £11.03 - 2kg £24.40 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £12.54 - 100g £13.08 - 500g £14.40 - 1kg £16.86 - 2kg £33.24 - 10kg Franked £12.31 - 100g £12.70 - 500g £13.88 - 1kg £15.94 - 2kg £31.98 - 10kg |
||
| 2012 (30 Apr) |
£500 | £1000 | £2500 | The Saturday Guarantee prices include VAT at 20%. |
|
Stamped £5.90 - 100g £6.35 - 500g £7.55 - 1kg £9.75 - 2kg £24.50 - 10kg Franked £5.65 - 100g £6.00 - 500g £7.10 - 1kg £8.90 - 2kg £23.35 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £10.08 - 100g £10.62 - 500g £12.06 - 1kg £14.70 - 2kg £32.40 - 10kg Franked £9.78 - 100g £10.20 - 500g £11.52 - 1kg £13.68 - 2kg £31.02 - 10kg |
Stamped £6.90 - 100g £7.35 - 500g £8.55 - 1kg £10.75 - 2kg £25.50 - 10kg Franked £6.65 - 100g £7.00 - 500g £8.10 - 1kg £9.90 - 2kg £24.35 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £11.28 - 100g £11.82 - 500g £13.26 - 1kg £15.90 - 2kg £33.60 - 10kg Franked £10.98 - 100g £11.40 - 500g £12.72 - 1kg £14.88 - 2kg £32.22 - 10kg |
Stamped £8.90 - 100g £9.35 - 500g £10.55 - 1kg £12.75 - 2kg £27.50 - 10kg Franked £8.65 - 100g £9.00 - 500g £10.10 - 1kg £11.90 - 2kg £26.35 - 10kg With Saturday Guarantee: Stamped £13.68 - 100g £14.22 - 500g £15.66 - 1kg £18.30 - 2kg £36.00 - 10kg Franked £13.38 - 100g £13.80 - 500g £15.12 - 1kg £17.28 - 2kg £34.62 - 10kg |
||
Special Delivery 9am from 2003
| Date | Compensation | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 (21 Aug) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £6.95 - 100g £7.65 - 500g £9.85 - 1kg £12.30 - 2kg |
£7.40 - 100g £8.10 - 500g £10.30 - 1kg £12.75 - 2kg |
£8.30 - 100g £9.00 - 500g £11.20 - 1kg £13.65 - 2kg |
||
| 2005 (7 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | |
| £7.95 - 100g £9.85 - 500g £12.20 - 1kg £15.10 - 2kg |
£8.75 - 100g £10.65 - 500g £13.00 - 1kg £15.90 - 2kg |
£9.70 - 100g £11.60 - 500g £13.95 - 1kg £16.85 - 2kg |
||
| 2006 (3 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | |
|
Stamped £8.95 - 100g £10.50 - 500g £12.20 - 1kg £15.10 - 2kg Franked £8.85 - 100g £10.40 - 500g £12.00 - 1kg £14.90 - 2kg |
Stamped £9.95 - 100g £11.50 - 500g £13.20 - 1kg £16.10 - 2kg Franked £9.85 - 100g £11.40 - 500g £13.00 - 1kg £15.90 - 2kg |
Stamped £10.90 - 100g £12.45 - 500g £14.15 - 1kg £17.05 - 2kg Franked £10.80 - 100g £12.35 - 500g £13.95 - 1kg £16.85 - 2kg |
||
| 2007 (2 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | |
|
Stamped £9.35 - 100g £10.95 - 500g £12.75 - 1kg £15.80 - 2kg Franked £9.25 - 100g £10.85 - 500g £12.55 - 1kg £15.55 - 2kg |
Stamped £10.40 - 100g £12.00 - 500g £13.80 - 1kg £16.85 - 2kg Franked £10.30 - 100g £11.90 - 500g £13.60 - 1kg £16.60 - 2kg |
Stamped £11.40 - 100g £13.00 - 500g £14.80 - 1kg £17.85 - 2kg Franked £11.30 - 100g £12.90 - 500g £14.60 - 1kg £17.60 - 2kg |
||
| 2008 (7 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.00 extra |
|
Stamped £10.30 - 100g £12.00 - 500g £14.00 - 1kg £17.40 - 2kg Franked £10.10 - 100g £11.80 - 500g £13.60 - 1kg £16.90 - 2kg |
Stamped £11.55 - 100g £13.25 - 500g £15.25 - 1kg £18.65 - 2kg Franked £11.35 - 100g £13.05 - 500g £14.85 - 1kg £18.15 - 2kg |
Stamped £12.65 - 100g £14.35 - 500g £16.35 - 1kg £19.75 - 2kg Franked £12.45 - 100g £14.15 - 500g £15.95 - 1kg £19.25 - 2kg |
||
| 2009 (6 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.20 extra |
|
Stamped £10.85 - 100g £12.65 - 500g £14.75 - 1kg £18.30 - 2kg Franked £10.65 - 100g £12.45 - 500g £14.35 - 1kg £17.80 - 2kg |
Stamped £12.35 - 100g £14.15 - 500g £16.25 - 1kg £19.80 - 2kg Franked £12.15 - 100g £13.95 - 500g £15.85 - 1kg £19.30 - 2kg |
Stamped £13.80 - 100g £15.60 - 500g £17.70 - 1kg £21.25 - 2kg Franked £13.60 - 100g £15.40 - 500g £17.30 - 1kg £20.75 - 2kg |
||
| 2010 (6 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 | Saturday Guarantee fee £2.25 extra (stamp/meter postage, account mail now had separate arrangements) |
|
Stamped £11.35 - 100g £13.10 - 500g £15.20 - 1kg £18.80 - 2kg Franked £10.85 - 100g £12.45 - 500g £14.21 - 1kg £17.27 - 2kg |
Stamped £12.90 - 100g £14.65 - 500g £16.75 - 1kg £20.35 - 2kg Franked £12.40 - 100g £14.00 - 500g £15.76 - 1kg £18.82 - 2kg |
Stamped £14.45 - 100g £16.20 - 500g £18.30 - 1kg £21.90 - 2kg Franked £13.95 - 100g £15.55 - 500g £17.31 - 1kg £20.37 - 2kg |
||
| 2011 (31 Jan) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 |
As a result of the court decision that made a number of Royal Mail services liable to VAT, Special Delivery 9am prices (with or without Saturday Guarantee and Consequential Loss) now increased by 20%, varying considerably according to weight and whether the mail was stamped or franked (latter available on "smart meters" only). Saturday Guarantee fee £2.70 extra throughout |
|
Stamped £13.62 - 100g £15.72 - 500g £18.24 - 1kg £22.56 - 2kg Franked £13.02 - 100g £14.94 - 500g £17.05 - 1kg £20.72 - 2kg |
Stamped £15.48 - 100g £17.58 - 500g £20.10 - 1kg £24.42 - 2kg Franked £14.88 - 100g £16.80 - 500g £18.91 - 1kg £22.58 - 2kg |
Stamped £17.34 - 100g £19.44 - 500g £21.96 - 1kg £26.28 - 2kg Franked £16.74 - 100g £18.66 - 500g £20.77 - 1kg £24.44 - 2kg |
||
| 2011 (4 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 |
Prices listed here included VAT at 20%. Saturday Guarantee fee £2.70 extra thoughout |
|
Stamped £15.25 - 100g £17.30 - 500g £19.35 - 1kg £23.45 - 2kg Franked £14.42 - 100g £16.09 - 500g £17.78 - 1kg £21.66 - 2kg |
Stamped £17.30 - 100g £19.35 - 500g £21.40 - 1kg £25.50 - 2kg Franked £16.47 - 100g £18.14 - 500g £19.83 - 1kg £23.71 - 2kg |
Stamped £20.55 - 100g £22.60 - 500g £24.65 - 1kg £28.75 - 2kg Franked £19.71 - 100g £21.38 - 500g £23.07 - 1kg £26.95 - 2kg |
||
| 2012 (30 Apr) |
£50 | £1000 | £2500 |
Prices listed here include VAT at 20%, although in the business leaflet they were given ex VAT. Saturday Guarantee fee £3.00 extra throughout (inc VAT). |
|
Stamped £16.70 - 100g £18.80 - 500g £20.45 - 1kg £24.75 - 2kg Franked £15.50 - 100g £17.15 - 500g £18.60 - 1kg £22.65 - 2kg |
Stamped £18.90 - 100g £21.00 - 500g £22.65 - 1kg £26.95 - 2kg Franked £17.70 - 100g £19.35 - 500g £20.80 - 1kg £24.85 - 2kg |
Stamped £22.40 - 100g £24.50 - 500g £26.15 - 1kg £30.45 - 2kg Franked £21.20 - 100g £22.85 - 500g £24.30 - 1kg £28.35 - 2kg |
||