FAQs
- What is PiP?
- Why is post now priced by size as well as weight?
- Do I have to measure my post to work out what stamp to use?
- What about International post?
- How can I make things easier?
- Where can I get packaging from?
- Have any other prices changed since 1 April 2010?
- Will the prices change again next year?
What is PiP?
In August 2006 Royal Mail introduced Pricing in Proportion (PiP) to the UK. They are now charging us in the same way. It costs Royal Mail (and indeed us) more to sort, handle and deliver larger envelopes and packages than smaller letters. Large and irregular shaped packages take up more space in postbags and vans and cost more to handle.
Royal Mail therefore changed their business and household pricing systems to more accurately reflect their costs.
Why is post now priced by size as well as weight?
Our pricing will take into consideration the size as well as the weight of your post, so that it reflects the costs of handling larger items more closely. A Letter, for example, can be processed by machine, while a bulkier item generally needs to be processed by hand which costs more.
Also, while Letters and Large Letters usually fit through letterboxes, Packets can't and have to be handled separately, incurring additional cost.
Do I have to measure my post to work out what stamp to use?
You shouldn't need to measure the majority of your post. The price formats should be straightforward to work out.
- An ordinary envelope up to half the size of a standard A4 sheet, and not more than 5mm thick, is a basic ‘Letter'
- up to A4 size, and not more than 25mm thick, is a ‘Large Letter', charged at the next price up
- anything bigger is a ‘Packet'.
What about International mail?
We have introduced Pricing in Proportion for International Services as well, i.e. International Standard, Airsure, International Signed For. The size and weight limits are the same as for Bailiwick and UK mail except Packets which will have a 2kg weight limit.
How can I make things easier?
The change shouldn't affect the majority of things that you send but we do recommend that you use the Letter Size Guide that was sent to all home and businesses in March, as this is a very handy tool to easily work out whether your item is classed as a Letter, Large Letter or Packet. We also recommend that you fold A4 letters so they are classed as a Letter (if under 5mm thick) rather than a Large Letter.
Buying packaging that is 'PiP ready' will only make this change even easier for you.
Where can I get packaging from?
We supply 'PiP ready' packaging from most of our branches and a full selection is available from our Envoy House and Smith Street branches.
Will any other prices change in April?
To help minimise the impact we will be freezing all Parcel prices for another year. We will also be freezing the prices for Redirection and Keepsafe. Special Delivery prices will be increasing from April 2010.
Will the prices change again next year?
The new prices are active until 31 March 2011. It is too early to know what will happen to prices after this date.
If you have any further questions then please contact us.