Royal Mail Postal Redirection When Moving House: How It Works and How Long to Set It Up

What a Postal Redirection Does (and Doesn't Do)

A Royal Mail postal redirection intercepts mail addressed to you at your old address and forwards it to your new one. It's the safety net of your address change process — it catches letters, parcels, and periodicals that you've failed to redirect at the source.

It does not, however, replace the need to update your address with individual organisations. Mail redirected through Royal Mail still goes through an extra handling step, can occasionally be delayed, and — critically — the redirection has an expiry date. Once it expires, anything addressed to the old address simply stops being delivered to you.

Think of it as insurance, not a complete solution.

How to Set Up a Redirection

You can set up a Royal Mail postal redirection online at royalmail.com, by calling 03457 777 888, or in person at a Post Office branch.

You'll need to provide:

• Your name (and the names of any other people you want to include — each person requires a separate redirection)
• Your old address
• Your new address
• Your moving date (the date you want the redirection to start)
• Payment details

The process takes around five to ten minutes online. You'll receive a confirmation email and, once the redirection is active, a letter to your new address confirming the service.

How Long Does It Take to Set Up?

Royal Mail recommends allowing five working days for a redirection to be processed and become active. In practice, setting it up at least a week before your moving date is sensible, and two weeks is better.

If you're cutting it close, you can pay for an express service — contact Royal Mail directly for availability, as this isn't always listed prominently online.

Do not wait until moving day to arrange this. Moving day is chaotic enough. Set up the redirection the moment you have a confirmed completion date.

How Long Does a Redirection Last?

Royal Mail offers three durations:

• **3 months** — for a short-term arrangement, typically when there's uncertainty about the final address
• **6 months** — the most commonly chosen option for a standard move
• **12 months** — recommended when you have a long contact list and want maximum coverage

The 12-month option represents significantly better value per month than the shorter periods, and the extra few months of cover often catches letters from organisations you'd forgotten to update — annual insurance renewals, HMRC correspondence, and so on.

Cost of Royal Mail Postal Redirection (2026)

Costs are per person and apply to all mail addressed to that individual at the old address. As of 2026:

• **3 months:** approximately £33.99 per person
• **6 months:** approximately £47.99 per person
• **12 months:** approximately £68.99 per person

If two adults are moving, both need separate redirections, so a 12-month redirection for two people costs approximately £138. This is good value when you consider the potential consequences of missing important letters.

Prices are subject to Royal Mail review — always confirm the current price when you set up the service.

What the Redirection Covers

The redirection covers all Royal Mail delivery services — first and second class letters, large letters, and packets delivered by Royal Mail.

It does not cover:

• Parcels delivered by couriers other than Royal Mail (DPD, DHL, Evri, Hermes, UPS, Amazon Logistics, and so on). You must update your address on each platform or account directly.
• Recorded or signed-for items that require a signature at the property — if you're not there, they may not be forwarded
• Items from organisations who have been told your new address — once the organisation updates its records, mail goes directly to the new address

What to Do When the Redirection Expires

Around two to three months before your redirection expires, review your address update progress. Check your bank statements and recent post for any senders you haven't yet notified. Contact any remaining organisations and update your address directly.

If you're still receiving significant volumes of mail for the old address when the redirection is due to expire, you can renew the service. Alternatively, a 12-month redirection gives you enough time to systematically work through your contacts without the pressure of an imminent expiry.

Limitations and Common Misconceptions

**The new occupants of your old home may receive your mail.** If your redirection is set up correctly, Royal Mail intercepts before delivery. But if there are any gaps — for example, in the first few days of the redirection — mail may still arrive at the old property. If your relationship with the new occupants is friendly, it's worth letting them know they may receive the occasional piece of your post and asking them to set it aside or return it.

**Redirection doesn't update your address with the sender.** The sending organisation still has your old address on record. A redirection routes the letter to you; it doesn't tell the organisation where you've moved. You need to notify each organisation directly for their records to be updated.

**Multiple names at one address.** If two adults are moving from the same address to the same new address, each needs a separate redirection in their own name. A single redirection in one person's name only covers mail addressed to that person.

Setting up a postal redirection is a straightforward, low-cost step that prevents important letters going astray during the transition period. Combine it with a systematic address notification process and your move-related mail will take care of itself.