If you can't see any results, we recommend trying a different browser - Google Chrome and Internet Explorer 10 or above generally work best with Postcode Finder. You'll be able to see the results on a map if you use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, IE 10 or above (it doesn't work with IE 8 or 9). Postcode finder also helps to give precise information. This system was adopted nationally between 1960 - 1970 and then improved by Royal Mails which is. Trust Royal Mail to send your letters and parcels. We've been delivering mail in the UK for over 500 years. Compare prices fo. Royal Mail Tracking tool. You can track the current status of your Royal Mail parcel or mail here. You can also access postcode finder, address finder, e.t.c.
Use this helpful postbox finder widget to find your nearest postbox (it may take a few seconds to load). It uses your current location and gives you directions to your closest letterbox.
Royal Mail isn’t the only letter delivery service – you can save up to 35%! of the cost of second class stamps if you post a letter with Whistl instead – click here for more information on how to post a letter with Whistl via Parcel2Go.
For more details about sending a letter including information on the types of letters, what qualifies as a letter, posting options and purchasing stamps, please see our letter guide and for information on envelopes see our envelope guide.
A brief background to the data behind this postbox finder tool
This tool to find your nearest postbox is only possible as Royal Mail was forced to disclose the location of all of its 116,000 postboxes by the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act.
In 2007 the Cabinet Office commissioned a report call “The Power of Information” which had the goal of better using the data that the government held to promote both economic and social good. The primary issue was that a lot of the government’s data is held by different departments and spread out amongst various sections of the civil service and public sector bodies.
To try and generate ideas to access and better use this data in 2008 the Cabinet Office launched the “Show Us a Better Way” competition to get the public to submit their ideas so the government could “improve health, education, justice or society at large” using their data.
The postbox location idea was put forward by a lady called Jenny Ingram, who was one of the six winners of the competition, so we would like to say thank you Jenny! Without you the postcode finder tool would not be possible!
Royal Mail Priority Post Box Finder
A series of Freedom of information requests followed, which revealed both the postcodes of the postboxes as well as their collection times. A crowdsourcing effort then pinpointed every postbox in the UK on an openly licensed map.