News » Postage Rates

Royal Mail prices UK mail by format first and weight second. Here are the current Letter, Large Letter and parcel size limits, the mistakes that cause surcharges, and a mailroom routine that stops you overpaying.

Royal Mail's fuel, green and peak surcharges do not apply to standard franked mail. Here is what franking machine users are charged for instead in 2026.

Franking machine postage credit is prepaid postage you buy in advance and download onto the machine, where it sits like an electronic petty cash tin and is deducted every time an impression prints. You top it up over the machine's internet or network connection using a prepay, direct debit or credit account held with your franking supplier. Because the money leaves the balance the...

A franking machine saves you money on almost every letter you send, because Royal Mail charges a lower Mailmark franking rate than the equivalent stamp price. In 2026 the headline saving is 3p on a standard First Class letter (£1.77 franked versus £1.80 by stamp) and up to 44p on a First Class large letter (£2.86 franked versus £3.30 by stamp). The more post...