Published 30 March 2026
Quick Answer
If Royal Mail has lost a retailer order, contact the retailer first — under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 they are responsible until the goods reach you. For personal post, file a claim directly with Royal Mail within 80 calendar days of posting and include proof of posting, proof of value, and the sender and recipient details.
If you bought goods online, always contact the retailer first. Under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods remain at the retailer's risk until they come into your physical possession, so Royal Mail losing the parcel is legally the retailer's problem to solve, not yours. The retailer chose Royal Mail, pays Royal Mail, and can claim back from Royal Mail themselves. If the retailer tries to send you to Royal Mail, remind them that your contract is with them — see our guide on whether to contact the courier or the retailer. Only claim directly from Royal Mail when you were the sender (personal post, a gift, or a return you posted yourself). For courier-specific steps and contact details, see our Royal Mail compensation page.
Royal Mail compensation depends on the service used when the item was posted:
• 1st Class and 2nd Class: up to £20 for contents plus a refund of the postage paid.
• Royal Mail Signed For: up to £20 for contents.
• Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm: up to £750 for contents, with additional cover available up to £2,500 if purchased at the counter.
Royal Mail aims to respond to claims within 30 calendar days of submission. These limits matter most for personal post. If you bought the item online, the retailer is legally responsible for the full value under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — Royal Mail's compensation caps do not limit what the retailer owes you.
If the item was personal post, file the claim yourself at royalmail.com/claims. Have ready: proof of posting, service details (1st Class, Signed For, Special Delivery), item description and value with receipts, and full sender and recipient addresses. Remember the two deadlines: wait the 10 working days (or 5 for Special Delivery) before claiming, and submit within 80 calendar days of posting. If your tracking is stuck rather than fully lost, check our Royal Mail tracking not updating diagnostic guide before assuming the parcel is lost.
A rejection is not the end of the road. First, ask Royal Mail for a written reason and request an internal review — many rejections are reversed when you supply a missing piece of evidence (clearer proof of posting, a better photo of the receipt, or an invoice showing the item's value). If the review still goes against you, escalate to POSTRS, the independent Postal Redress Service, which handles complaints about postal operators and can order Royal Mail to pay compensation. POSTRS is free for consumers.
If this was a retailer order, a Royal Mail rejection does not affect your claim against the retailer. You can pursue the retailer directly under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and — if you paid by credit card over £100 — via Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. For debit cards, request a chargeback through your bank. Our refund tool will walk you through the exact next step for your situation, and the process is similar when a courier other than Royal Mail loses a return — see our guide on what to do when a return parcel is lost by the courier.
Subject: Royal Mail Missing Parcel — Refund Required — Order [ORDER NUMBER] Dear [Retailer Name], I am writing to complain about order [ORDER NUMBER] placed on [DATE]. Royal Mail has been unable to deliver this parcel, which was last tracked on [DATE] at [LOCATION], or shows as undelivered. Under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you are responsible for delivery of goods until they reach me. Royal Mail's failure is your responsibility as the sender. I have waited [X] days and confirm the parcel has not been delivered to my address. I request a full refund or replacement within 7 days. Yours sincerely, [Your Name] [Order Reference]
For courier-specific help, compare Royal Mail compensation and Evri lost parcel claim, or use the full parcel refund process to generate the next steps for your case.
Royal Mail aims to respond to claims within 30 calendar days of submission. Before you can file, you must wait the qualifying period: 10 working days after the due delivery date for 1st or 2nd Class, or 5 working days for Royal Mail Special Delivery. Claims must be submitted within 80 calendar days of posting.
It depends on the service used. 1st Class and 2nd Class cover up to £20 for contents plus a refund of the postage paid. Royal Mail Signed For covers up to £20 for contents. Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm covers up to £750 for contents, with additional cover available up to £2,500 at the counter. For retailer orders, the retailer is liable for the full value regardless of these caps.
No. Royal Mail only accepts claims from the sender, because the contract of carriage is between Royal Mail and whoever posted the item. If you are the recipient and the item came from an online retailer, claim from the retailer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — they are the sender and are legally responsible to you for delivery.
Ask Royal Mail for proof of delivery, including GPS location, any photo, and the delivery scan. If the scan does not match your address, neighbours did not accept the parcel, and you have no safe-place agreement, you have grounds to dispute. For retailer orders, escalate to the retailer citing Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 — a courier scan alone does not prove the goods came into your physical possession.
If you ordered online, claim from the retailer under Section 29. Do not claim from Royal Mail first — the retailer handles the Royal Mail side themselves. If the retailer refuses, ask Royal Mail for proof of loss to strengthen your position. For personal post, claim only from Royal Mail.
Yes. If Royal Mail refuses or offers insufficient compensation, request an internal review first. If that fails, escalate to POSTRS (the Postal Redress Service), which is independent and free for consumers. For online orders, Section 75 or chargeback through your bank is often faster than POSTRS.