Royal Mail has announced plans to recruit approximately 20,000 temporary workers to bolster its delivery operations during the busy Christmas period.
The postal service confirmed that the new positions will be spread across two parcel hubs, four seasonal parcel sorting centres, and 37 mail centres throughout the country. This significant hiring drive is intended to help the company manage the expected surge in demand around key shopping events, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the festive season.
Specifically, 12,000 mail centre sorting roles will be available in England, with an additional 2,000 in Scotland, 600 in Wales, and 400 in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, Royal Mail will be recruiting for 3,000 delivery and collection roles across the UK, alongside 2,000 temporary HGV and MGV driver positions.
Royal Mail will set up four extra seasonal sorting centres in Atherstone, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Daventry to help it fulfil deliveries.
Jamie Stephenson, Royal Mail interim chief operating officer, said: “As we do every year, we will be pulling out all the stops to make Christmas special for our customers.
“It’s the busiest time for us, and we work tirelessly behind the scenes – planning months in advance – to ensure everything runs smoothly.
“From delivering festive parcels to supporting online shopping, we’re investing heavily in extra resources, including thousands of seasonal team members, to help make sure every delivery arrives on time and with care.”
The seasonal roles will run from late October through to early January 2026.
