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Christmas may be a little different for Brits this year, with the country being placed into tier systems. Royal Mail has issued their last posting dates for those wishing to send their loved ones something via post.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Royal Mail recently announced they were hiring 33,000 temporary staff to help keep services running over Christmas.

However the company recommends allowing extra time for postage this year due to the increased demand.

A statement on the Royal Mail website reads: “Allow plenty of time for posting. Please post items and gifts for Christmas early, particular for International deliveries.

“Ongoing Covid restrictions, reduced air and freight capacity, high volumes and winter weather conditions are all impacting transportation and local delivery across the globe.”

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For those sending off parcels this year, there are some important dates to keep in mind.

December 18 is the last postage day for 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed for to ensure that goods are received in time for Christmas.

For 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48 the last postage date for guaranteed delivery before the big day is December 21.

December 22 is when customers using the Royal Mail Tracked 24 should send off their parcels.

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If customers miss these dates, there is one more slot that Royal Mail provides to guarantee delivery before Christmas.

December 23 is the last day customers can send off parcels using Royal Mail’s Special Delivery Guaranteed service.

However it is important to note that Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Royal Mail Tracked 48 services are not available to purchase at Post Office branches and they must be brought online.

For International Standard and International tracking and signature services, there is still time to send off parcels to loved ones.

Australia and New Zealand – December 4
Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, Far and Middle East – December 9
Canada, Cyprus and Malta – December 10
Greece, Eastern Europe (except Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia) and Turkey – December 11
Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Sweden and USA – December 12
Austria, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland – December 16
Belgium, France, Ireland and Luxembourg – December 18

Royal Mail also recently issued advice for customers over the festive period.

With December usually being such a busy month for everyone, it is easy to fall into the tracks of scams and identifying them can be extremely hard.

One scam email circulating sees fraudsters purporting to be from Royal Mail, and that they have an undelivered letter for customers, and in order to receive it, they must pay £1.99 extra.

The scam was first flagged by Wycombe District Neighbourhood Watch in Flackwell Heath, after a village resident received the letter.

A section on the Royal Mail website addresses the issue surrounding scams and provides advice for customers on how to prevent becoming a target.

It reads: “If you’re moving home, Action Fraud recommends using a Redirection to reduce the risk of identity fraud. They recommend redirecting mail from your old address to your new address for at least a year.

“If you hold power of attorney for somebody, you can apply for a Redirection on their behalf. You can do this if you believe they’re a victim, or are vulnerable to being a victim, of scam mail.”

For those who think they may have already been targeted, there are steps that can be taken to find out whether it is directly from Royal Mail or a hoax.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail Group takes a serious approach to scam mail and understands the upset that it can cause households across the country, including vulnerable people.

“We urge any members of the public who believe they or a family member is receiving scam mail can report it to our dedicated helpline on [email protected], or 0800 0113466.

“Alternatively, they can contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit their website and use their online reporting tool.”

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