Should I send my post Second Class?

Since the price gap has widened between First Class and Second Class mail, lots of our customers have asked us about switching to Second Class and what that would mean.  

The First Class service is becoming a premium product and the new prices reflect this. The stamped item price of £1.70 does seem high, however this targeted next day service to any address in the UK still offers excellent value for money. This does not mean however, that First Class is the only option for all your mail. Our mailing experts work with businesses and help them identify the best way to send their mail, and the most cost effective services to use. 

In addition to the price changes in April 2025, the Royal Mail have proposed changes to delivery schedules and as part of the process Ofcom have commissioned research into the requirements of households and businesses. The results show that whilst some mail does require a next day (First Class) service; for other mail, changing to a different service can offer big postage savings. 

You can read more in this article that looks at these results, along with information about the proposed changes and learn more about the postage savings when switching from First to Second Class. 

Postal Service Options  

First Class Post Delivery 

Royal Mail’s First Class service is a fast and reliable way to send letters, large letters and parcels. The next day service includes delivery Monday to Saturday and if a signature is required then Royal Mail Signed For can be added. 

Your First Class items can be sent to any address in the UK for a fixed price. The price if accessing the service by adding a stamp or purchasing from the Post Office is higher than using a Franking Machine.  

A First Class letter will arrive the very next day, providing it is in the post box or Franked Mail Box Franked Mailboxes before the last collection time (displayed on the post box), or is collected by Royal Mail that business day. If it is posted after that time, then it will take two days to reach its destination. 

You can also receive additional discounts when sending 250 items or more when you combine with Royal Mail’s Business Mail service.   

Second Class Post Delivery 

For non-urgent mail, Second Class is a reliable and cost effective service. Items including letters, large letters and parcels can be sent anywhere in the UK for a fixed price. Items sent Second Class will arrive within 2-3 working days. 

The Signed For option can also be added, meaning a signature has to be provided for mail when handed over to the recipient. This confirmation of delivery can be tracked via Royal Mail’s website. 

There is no minimum volume when sending Second Class mail, although there are additional savings available if sending 250 items or more. 

The Second Class service can be accessed, using stamps, using a Franking Machine or discounted mail service.

The history of Second Class post 

Over half a century ago, on 16 September 1968, the Post Office introduced the two-tier postal system that we’re familiar with today. Before then, choosing how to send a letter depended more on its contents than on how quickly you wanted it delivered. There were various discounted services with complex rules, like limits on what you could write inside a greeting card or how big a postcard could be, making things difficult for senders. 

The introduction of First and Second Class post simplified things enormously. First-Class mail was prioritised for faster delivery, while Second-Class offered a cheaper option for less urgent items. Under this new system, Second-Class letters were deliberately held back until First-Class mail had been sorted, typically aiming for delivery within two to three working days.  

The change also helped relieve some of the pressure on postal staff, as previously, late-afternoon mail drops by businesses had left sorting offices overwhelmed. By autumn 1968, about a third of letters were sent First-Class, and the two-tier system helped balance the workload, at a time when sorting was still done mostly by hand. 

The ‘proposed’ future of Second Class post  

The Royal Mail is proposing changes to Second Class mail delivery to address the decline in letter volumes and the rising cost of delivering to an increasing number of UK addresses. With fewer letters being sent and financial pressures mounting, these changes aim to make the postal service more efficient and sustainable. 

Their plan is to introduce a new D+3 service for Second Class mail starting in late 2025. This means Second Class letters will be delivered within three days, following an alternate weekday schedule on a two-week rotation. 

Additionally, there will be no Saturday deliveries for Second Class items. Businesses relying on direct mail will need to plan mailing dates more carefully, as daily delivery of Second Class post will no longer be available.

Royal Mail’s service obligation 

The Royal Mail has a legal obligation to deliver letters Monday to Saturday and parcels Monday to Friday as well as offer two delivery speeds – First Class service for delivery next day and a Second Class service for delivery within three days. 

This Universal Service includes a ‘one price goes anywhere’ affordable postal services to all UK addresses. 

The legal basis for this universal service is the Postal Services Act 2011 and the Universal Postal Service Order.  

Universal Service Obligation in 2025 

This is written into law, however the Royal Mail has proposed changes to the Universal Service that would change letter deliveries from 6 days a week to 5, plus Second Class post will be delivered on alternate weekdays. 

The price difference between First and Second Class 

One of the biggest differences between First Class and Second Class is the price.   

The First Class Service is now a premium product. This premium price means that if you send your item First Class it will arrive with the recipient the next day, to any address in the UK. 

Second Class is cheaper than First Class, and will take three working days (including Saturdays) to be delivered. 

The difference in price is because First Class mail is sorted in mail centres overnight which incurs a higher cost to process the mail than it does to process during the day. With a lower priority, Second Class post can be sorted during the day, at a lower price.

* Prices are correct as of 7th April 2025

What post do you have to send First Class? 

Reasons for choosing First Class can be to meet customer expectations, where a delay in receiving documents, samples or responses to a request can win or lose business. 

Other businesses rely on urgent communication that needs to be delivered and acknowledged quickly, including legal documents, contracts, compliance notices and court documents with strict deadlines. Delays due to slower postal services could mean missed deadlines, non-compliance fines, or legal action. 

Things are changing however, contract clauses which previously stipulated that notices be sent by First Class post are being replaced with electronic forms of communication, avoiding incurring unnecessary costs. 

Post is still an extremely important form of communication, with people trusting mail over other methods. Businesses that want to prioritise communication with their customers can successfully combine the instant delivery of email or SMS, with a physical reminder or follow-up.  

An excellent example of this working is for appointments for tenants sent by housing associations. Missed appointments can be extremely costly, so for future appointments they send a physical letter including all the relevant information in multiple languages. This is then followed up by a reminder SMS nearer the date of the appointment.  

This combination of communications can be managed through a CRM system, printed using Mailing Software and with advanced planning, replaces the requirement for a next day postal service, and significantly reduces the postage cost.

What postal service should you use? 

Royal Mail First Class is now a premium service, and whilst the price to send an item First Class has increased, in Ofcom’s most recent Postal Services Monitoring report, it showed that 47% of participants still rated the First Class service as good value for money. 

This same survey did also show however that businesses are increasingly switching away from First Class to Second Class, with 25% reporting they use Second Class most of the time. The main reason for this change was reported to be price.  

For some businesses, First Class will be their only option and will pay a higher price for a next day service. For others, that can plan ahead and take advantage of electronic communication for urgent messages, then Second Class is ideal and will result in a big saving against sending First Class.  

If your business is sending higher volumes of Second Class mail then you do have alternatives that offer much bigger savings. There are increased savings if your business is sending marketing mail or by using an Economy Service if you don’t mind a 5-day delivery service. 

If you are unsure about what options you have, our friendly team can help. At My Mailing Room we are home to all things mailing and can offer advice and expertise to businesses looking to make sending mail more time and cost efficient. For more information, please contact us or call on 01322 643825.