What is changing?

Royal Mail are transforming our operation by embracing new parcel sortation technology which will deliver the best possible service for you and your customers. As part of this transformation we are updating the way we check your mail volumes and the size and weight of your items.

Getting your mailing right first time every time

In Royal Mail we handle large letters, small and medium parcels differently within our network. As mail passes through our network, our machine technology will count, weigh and measure your items. 

It’s therefore important to make sure that the volume, size, format and weight of your items match your daily manifest. In addition, it is also important to check that the weight, size and product combination is right for the product you are sending.

Items Posted in Non-Rigid Packaging

We are asking customers who post in non-rigid packaging such as polylopes and jiffy bags to take steps to ensure items retain their shape after being posted.

Please watch the following films for practical tips when posting items using non-rigid packaging.

Incorrect Average Weight Correction Charge

If the Incorrect Average Weight is declared on Royal Mail 24® and Royal Mail 48® Average Daily Weight Large Letters and Parcels products, we will apply an admin charge for each item in the posting as well as a correction charge for each item in the posting. To ensure the average weight is correct, customers are required to provide an accurate weight and pre-advice for each item*.

*Excluding customers using our Basic Barcodes solution or Annual Flat Rate customers

To avoid these charges and to ensure an accurate weight is provided you should weigh each item in its packaging before generating a label.

Cancelled Label Reuse Correction Charge

To ensure you are not charged for using cancelled barcodes, you should destroy any cancelled barcode labels to stop any possibility of them being used.

More information on the Cancelled Label Reuse Charge can be found on the Cancelled Label Reuse Correction Charge explained page.

Unreadable Barcode Correction Charge

To avoid unreadable barcode charges, you should ensure the label is placed smoothly on the largest surface and can be easily read. The label must not be reflective or have any reflective material overlaying it, and the ink on the label must be clear and of good quality.

An unreadable barcode means our machine technology cannot read the label effectively. We manually re-create the label and attach this to your parcel to avoid delaying or returning your item. We will charge you a fee per item as this adds extra costs to our operations and makes it more challenging to meet our service promise.

Duplicate Barcode Correction Charge

To avoid duplicate barcode charges, you should use unique barcodes on each item and ensure a barcode is not duplicated across more than one item.

Please ensure you only use a barcode on an item once. Duplicate barcode correction charges occur if you use one barcode across more than one item (rather than using unique barcodes on each item). It indicates unpaid postage and creates additional handling costs. You can find more information on splitting consignments on the support hub on this page.

If we identify items where the barcode is a duplicate of one used previously, we will apply an Admin Charge per use alongside charging as per your contract rate for any unpaid postage.

Incorrect Label Placement Correction Charge

To avoid incorrect label placement charges, you should ensure the label is smoothly placed on the largest surface of the item. You should avoid creasing or overlapping the label onto a second surface.

An incorrectly placed label means our machine technology cannot read the label effectively. We manually re-create the label and attach this to your parcel to avoid delaying or returning your item. This adds extra costs to our operations and makes it more challenging to meet our service promise. We will apply a charge per item to cover the cost impact to our operation.

How to get your end of day processes right

To avoid any correction charges you must ensure that your mailing is right.  It is important to check every item is the correct size, weight and format. 

In your end of day manifesting process you should accurately record the items you hand over to Royal Mail. You should not manifest items you won’t be handing to us that day.

If you use Click & Drop or Pro-Shipping, here are the user guides and support material.

What happens if we find errors with your mail?

If the number of items, their weight or size does not match your manifest, or if a barcode is duplicated across more than one item we may apply a correction charge plus an admin charge for each incorrect item. If a cancelled barcode is subsequently used to post an item, we may apply a correction charge for these items. These charges will then appear on your usual invoice.

Details of all of these charges can be found on the Royal Mail Surcharges Page. This page contains important information about UK and International surcharges and Correction Charges. Please check this page regularly for the latest updates.

If you are registered for e-Invoicing you will be able to access the Surcharge Supplement which provides an item level breakdown of any correction charges that have been applied*.  You will also receive an email notification when the Surcharge Supplement is available for you to view.

 
* Surcharge Supplements available with e-Invoicing:

• Underdeclared Items Surcharge Supplement
• Mis-declared Items and Cancelled Barcodes Surcharge Supplement
• Average Daily Weight Mis-declaration Surcharge Supplement
• Duplicate Barcodes Surcharge Supplement