The service you paid for determines both your compensation cap and your claims deadline — and the deadline for tracked services is much shorter than most people assume.
Compensation Limits, Service by Service
| Service | Maximum compensation (loss/damage) | Claim window |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail 1st/2nd Class (untracked) | Up to £20 | 80 calendar days from posting; deemed lost after 10 working days past the expected delivery date |
| Royal Mail Tracked 24 / Tracked 48 | Up to £100 | 30 calendar days from posting for damage/part-loss claims — a notably shorter window than untracked services |
| Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm | Up to £500 standard, upgradable to £2,500 | Deemed lost after 10 working days past the due date (5 working days for Guaranteed by 9am specifically); claims within 80 days |
The Tracked 24/48 window is the one most people get wrong, since it's shorter than the 80-day window that applies to standard untracked post — don't assume every service gives you the same amount of time.
Proof of Value Is Not Optional
Royal Mail requires written proof of the item's value — an original receipt, a bank/PayPal statement, or a repair quotation for damaged items. Without it, compensation is generally limited to the cost of the postage itself, regardless of what the item was actually worth. Keep your purchase evidence before you need it, not after.
Delay Compensation Is Separate From Loss/Damage Compensation
Royal Mail only pays compensation purely for a late (but eventually delivered) item on services carrying an explicit delivery guarantee — mainly Special Delivery Guaranteed. Standard 1st/2nd Class and Tracked 24/48 don't carry a guaranteed delivery promise, so lateness alone (without loss) generally isn't compensated on those services. If you ordered online and the retailer promised a specific delivery date as part of the contract, that's a separate claim against the retailer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, not against Royal Mail.
Filing a Claim
- Confirm which specific service was used — this determines both your cap and your deadline.
- Wait the required minimum period before filing a loss claim (10 working days past due for most services, 5 for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm) — filing too early can result in rejection.
- Gather proof of value before submitting — a claim without it will likely be limited to postage cost only.
- For damaged items, keep the original packaging, since Royal Mail may require inspection at a Post Office.
- Submit within the specific window for your service — 30 days for Tracked 24/48, 80 days for standard and Special Delivery services.
Related Kibbo Tools
Sources
- Royal Mail — Retail compensation policy for loss. royalmail.com
- Citizens Advice — Claiming compensation from Royal Mail. citizensadvice.org.uk