Royal Mail has issued guidance urging customers to stop placing the recipient's address in the middle of the envelope, as this can cause delivery delays. The postal service recommends that the name and address be written in the bottom-left corner of the front of the envelope or parcel instead.
Official instructions, published on Royal Mail's website under the page "How to address your mail – clear addressing tips," state: "The name and address go on the bottom left corner of the front of the envelope or parcel. Use clear and easy to read handwriting (or font if you are printing the address). Use a pen or ink that is clear against the colour of the envelope or parcel."
Why the bottom-left corner matters
Royal Mail explains that placing the address in the bottom-left corner dramatically reduces delivery delays because modern postal sorting machines are calibrated to scan this specific zone. When the text is left-aligned in this designated area, high-speed optical character recognition (OCR) scanners can immediately read and process the mail.
Addresses placed in the middle or on the right can cause automated systems to miss them entirely, forcing letters out of the fast automated stream and into slower manual sorting. Keeping the text to the bottom-left leaves the top-right completely clear for stamps and postmarks, ensuring that postage cancellation marks do not accidentally smudge or obscure the delivery address details.
Key rules for fast delivery
- Place the recipient's name and address in the bottom-left corner.
- Left-align all lines; do not centre lines or write them in a "stepped" pattern.
- Do not use commas or full stops.
- Place your stamp or postage mark in the top-right corner.
- Include a return address to ensure the item can be sent back if it cannot be delivered.
The guidance also advises: "Left align the text (no centred or 'stepped' lines). No commas or full stops. Leave a generous margin around the address. Place the correct postage on the top right." Royal Mail also says it is important not to include any phone numbers or email addresses to protect people's privacy.
Return addresses and postage advice
Senders are also advised to provide a return address alongside the recipient's details. "If for any reason your item can't be delivered, we can send it back to you. Write the words 'return address' on the back of the envelope and underneath that, the actual return address," the guide says.
On the topic of insufficient postage, Royal Mail explains: "If you send a letter without the correct postage we may still attempt to deliver it, but the recipient may be asked to pay the missing amount - along with a surcharge. If the recipient doesn’t pay, the item is returned to sender (if a return address is included) or held for a limited time."
