Lost, late or damaged post: how to claim compensation from Royal Mail

What's happened

Ofcom said on 16 October 2026 that it wants to keep the price of a Second Class stamp flat in real terms until March 2028, by extending the current inflation-linked cap for another year. A Second Class stamp costs 91p today, less than half the European average, Ofcom says.

The same announcement confirmed that Ofcom is investigating Royal Mail for missing its delivery targets in 2025/26. Royal Mail delivered 75.7% of First Class mail the next working day, against a target of 93%, and 90.2% of Second Class mail within three working days, against 98.5%. Ofcom has fined Royal Mail more than £37 million in recent years for poor delivery performance.

None of that money comes to you. But if your own letter or parcel goes missing, arrives late or turns up broken, you can usually claim.

What the rules say

Royal Mail's compensation scheme applies across the UK. Citizens Advice sums it up like this for items sent within the UK.

• First and Second Class (including Signed For): the cost of the stamps plus the item's value up to £20, or the stamps only.
• Tracked 24 and Tracked 48: the item's value up to £75. Only the sender can claim, and there's no compensation for delays.
• Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm: a refund of the postage plus the item's value up to £750, or more if you paid for extra cover.
• Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am: the item's value up to £50, or more with extra cover.
• Delays: usually the price of the postage. Special Delivery by 1pm pays £5, or £10 if it's seven or more working days late.

Timing matters. You must wait before you can report something as lost: 11 working days for First Class, 14 for Second Class, and five working days after the due date for Special Delivery. Claims for lost or damaged items must be made within 80 days of posting. You'll need proof of postage, such as the receipt or certificate of posting, or the postmarked packaging if you're the recipient, and photos if something arrived damaged.

If you bought something online, the rules are different. Under section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods stay at the seller's risk until they're in your hands, or the hands of someone you named. So if a shop sent your order by Royal Mail and it never came, your claim is against the shop, not Royal Mail. The exception is a courier you arranged yourself that the seller didn't offer. The Act applies across the UK, including Scotland and Northern Ireland.

What it means in pounds: a worked example

This is an illustration, not a real case.

Amira posts a pair of trainers worth £60 to her nephew by Second Class. They never arrive. She waits 14 working days, then claims online with her Post Office receipt. The most she can get is the cost of postage plus £20 towards the trainers, leaving her £40 out of pocket.

By Tracked 48, which covers up to £75, she could have claimed the full £60. By Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm, she'd get £60 plus her postage.

Now say Amira bought the same £60 trainers from an online shop, which sent them Second Class. The £20 cap doesn't apply: the trainers were still the shop's responsibility, so she can ask it for a replacement or a full £60 refund.

What to do now

1. Bought it from a shop? Contact the seller first. Ask for a redelivery or refund, and mention section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if you're told to chase Royal Mail.
2. Sent it yourself? Wait the right number of days, then claim. Use Royal Mail's online form or a paper form from any Post Office, with proof of postage and, for a valuable item, proof of value such as a receipt. If you can't do either, call 03457 740 740. Royal Mail should reply within 30 days.
3. Escalate if you disagree. Contact Royal Mail's Postal Review Panel, using the details in its last reply. If that doesn't settle it, you'll usually be referred to POSTRS, the independent postal redress scheme, on 020 7520 3766. You can go straight to POSTRS if Royal Mail takes longer than 90 days.
4. Get free advice. Call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 196 8660, or the Consumer Council in Northern Ireland on 0800 121 6022.

Your questions answered

Can I claim if a letter was just late?

Yes, for most services. For First Class you wait four working days after posting before claiming, and six for Second Class. Senders have three months to claim, recipients one month. Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 don't pay anything for delays.

Does complaining get me compensation?

Not automatically. Citizens Advice says a complaint and a compensation claim are separate, so make a claim even if you've already complained.

Will Ofcom deal with my complaint?

No. Ofcom regulates Royal Mail but doesn't investigate individual cases. It directs people to Royal Mail first, then to POSTRS.

Sources: Ofcom: proposal to cap the Second Class stamp price, Ofcom: investigation into Royal Mail's 2025/26 delivery performance, Ofcom: complain about Royal Mail, Citizens Advice: claiming compensation from Royal Mail, Citizens Advice: damaged, lost or delayed post, Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29