Royal Mail has shared guidance on how to address envelopes to reduce the risk of delivery delays. The postal service says the town name should be written in capital letters, and that including a county is unnecessary.
On its 'top tips' webpage, Royal Mail states: "Write the name of the town in capital letters. You don't need to include a county name, as your letters and parcels will still reach the right place." It also advises: "It's important that the address shows up against the colour of your envelope. (Tip - stick on a white label with black ink.)"
How sorting machines read addresses
Royal Mail processes millions of letters and envelopes daily, and this operation runs more quickly and efficiently when people use clear block capitals for the town or city and postcode. The technology does not usually scan the recipient's name and street, instead concentrating on the town and postcode when sorting mail.
Since the postcode handles 99% of the routing, the automated machinery only needs to read the final two lines (the postcode and the town) to sort the letter and dispatch it to the appropriate local delivery office, reports the Express.
What happens if the address is not in capitals
Provided the postcode is accurate, not using capital letters will not result in the letter being rejected. However, it may cause a brief delay in delivery. If the computer finds 'normal' handwriting difficult to decipher, the item will be diverted for manual sorting.
Any delay depends largely on current staffing levels and service demand. During busy times, such as Christmas, manual sorting of backlogs could take several days to work through.
Royal Mail's full envelope guidelines
Royal Mail requests that anyone posting letters or cards must "write the address clearly on the front following [their] guidelines". The name and address go in the bottom-left corner of the front of the envelope or parcel. Use clear and easy-to-read handwriting (or font if printing the address), and a pen or ink that is clear against the colour of the envelope or parcel.
Left-align the text (no centred or 'stepped' lines), use no commas or full stops, leave a generous margin around the address, and place the correct postage on the top right. Royal Mail also advises: "To protect your privacy and the recipient's, don't put phone numbers or email addresses on the outside of your item."
