SHOW MENUSurface Letter Rates to H.M. Forces 1930-2004
These concessionary rates for personnel serving overseas were generally the same as the Commonwealth letter rates (or from 1975, the inland second class rates), although from 1940-48 they were less. Before World War II they applied only to Royal Navy personnel, but were extended to the Army and RAF from 5th September 1939 (and to the Merchant Navy on 30th March 1943).
When service to HM Forces in Europe was on an all-up basis these rates applied, but from 17th March 1975 there were separate airmail rates to Europe, and from 1st February 1982 these applied as "all-up". From 3rd September 1990 only airmail was available to European destinations, so the rates here are for non-European destinations only from that point. Surface service for letters to the Forces ceased to be available in 2004.
(Earlier rates will be added as information becomes available.)
| Date | Rates | Date | Rates | Date | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| by 1930 (1 Jul) |
1½d - 1oz 2½d - 2oz 3½d - 3oz 4½d - 4oz 5½d - 5oz 6½d - 6oz 7½d - 7oz 8½d - 8oz 9½d - 9oz 10½d - 10oz 11½d - 11oz 1s 0½d - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 1d |
1948 (1 Apr) |
2½d - 1oz 3½d - 2oz 4½d - 3oz 5½d - 4oz 6½d - 5oz 7½d - 6oz 8½d - 7oz 9½d - 8oz 10½d - 9oz 11½d - 10oz 1s 0½d - 11oz 1s 1½d - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 1d |
1957 (1 Oct) |
3d - 1oz 4½d - 2oz 6d - 3oz 7½d - 4oz 9d - 5oz 10½d - 6oz 1s - 7oz 1s 1½d - 8oz 1s 3d - 9oz 1s 4½d - 10oz 1s 6d - 11oz 1s 7½d - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 1½d |
| 1965 (17 May) |
4d - 1oz 5½d - 2oz 7d - 3oz 8½d - 4oz 10d - 5oz 11½d - 6oz 1s 1d - 7oz 1s 2½d - 8oz 1s 4d - 9oz 1s 5½d - 10oz 1s 7d - 11oz 1s 8½d - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 1½d |
1968 (16 Sep) |
5d - 1oz 7d - 2oz 9d - 3oz 11d - 4oz 1s 1d - 5oz 1s 3d - 6oz 1s 5d - 7oz 1s 7d - 8oz 1s 9d - 9oz 1s 11d - 10oz 2s 1d - 11oz 2s 3d - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 2d |
1971 (15 Feb) |
2p - 1oz 3p - 2oz 4p - 3oz 5p - 4oz 6p - 5oz 7p - 6oz 8p - 7oz 9p - 8oz 10p - 9oz 11p - 10oz 12p - 11oz 13p - 12oz Each additional 1oz up to 4lb - 1p |
| 1971 (1 Jul) |
3p - 1oz 5p - 2oz 7½p - 4oz 10p - 8oz 20p - 1lb 35p - 2lb 70p - 4lb (max) |
1973 (10 Sep) |
3½p - 1oz 5p - 2oz 7½p - 4oz 10p - 8oz 20p - 1lb 35p - 2lb 70p - 4lb (max) |
1974 (24 Jun) |
4½p - 1oz 6p - 2oz 9p - 4oz 12p - 8oz 22p - 1lb 37p - 2lb 75p - 4lb (max) |
| 1975 (17 Mar) |
5½p - 2oz 8p - 4oz 9½p - 6oz 11p- 8oz 13p - 10oz 14½p - 12oz 16½p - 14oz 18p - 1lb 24p - 1½lb (max) |
1975 (29 Sep) |
6½p - 60g 9p - 100g 11p - 150g 13½p - 200g 16p - 250g 18½p - 300g 21p - 350g 23½p - 400g 26p - 450g 28½p - 500g 42p - 750g (max) |
1976 (7 Jun) |
6½p - 60g 9p - 100g 11p - 150g 14p - 200g 17p - 250g 20p - 300g 23p - 350g 26p - 400g 29p - 450g 32p - 500g 47p - 750g (max) |
| 1977 (13 Jun) |
7p - 60g 9½p - 100g 12p - 150g 15p - 200g 18½p - 250g 22p - 300g 25½p - 350g 29p - 400g 32½p - 450g 36p - 500g 54p - 750g (max) |
1979 (20 Aug) |
8p - 60g 11p - 100g 13½p - 150g 17p - 200g 21p - 250g 25p - 300g 29p - 350g 33p - 400g 37p - 450g 40p - 500g 60p - 750g (max) |
1980 (4 Feb) |
10p - 60g 13½p - 100g 16½p - 150g 21p - 200g 26p - 250g 31p - 300g 36p - 350g 41p - 400g 46p - 450g 50p - 500g 75p - 750g (max) |
| 1981 (26 Jan) |
11½p - 60g 15½p - 100g 19p - 150g 24p - 200g 30p - 250g 36p - 300g 42p - 350g 48p - 400g 53p - 450g 58p - 500g 87p - 750g (max) |
1982 (1 Feb) |
12½p - 60g 16½p - 100g 20½p - 150g 26p - 200g 32p - 250g 38p - 300g 44p - 350g 50p - 400g 56p - 450g 62p - 500g 94p - 750g (max) |
1983 (5 Apr) |
12½p - 60g 17p - 100g 21p - 150g 27p - 200g 33p - 250g 39p - 300g 45p - 350g 51p - 400g 57p - 450g 63p - 500g 95p - 750g (max) |
| 1984 (3 Sep) |
13p - 60g 18p - 100g 22p - 150g 28p - 200g 34p - 250g 40p - 300g 46p - 350g 52p - 400g 59p - 450g 66p - 500g 98p - 750g (max) |
1985 (4 Nov) |
12p - 60g 18p - 100g 22p - 150g 28p - 200g 34p - 250g 40p - 300g 46p - 350g 52p - 400g 59p - 450g 66p - 500g 98p - 750g (max) |
1986 (20 Oct) |
13p - 60g 20p - 100g 24p - 150g 30p - 200g 37p - 250g 43p - 300g 49p - 350g 55p - 400g 62p - 450g 70p - 500g 85p - 600g £1.00 - 700g £1.05 - 750g (max) |
| 1988 (5 Sep) |
14p - 60g 22p - 100g 26p - 150g 32p - 200g 39p - 250g 46p - 300g 52p - 350g 59p - 400g 65p - 450g 73p - 500g 90p - 600g £1.05 - 700g £1.10 - 750g (max) |
1989 (2 Oct) |
15p - 60g 24p - 100g 28p - 150g 34p - 200g 42p - 250g 49p - 300g 56p - 350g 63p - 400g 70p - 450g 78p - 500g 95p - 600g £1.10 - 700g £1.15 - 750g (max) |
1990 (17 Sep) |
17p - 60g 27p - 100g 32p - 150g 38p - 200g 46p - 250g 55p - 300g 63p - 350g 71p - 400g 79p - 450g 87p - 500g £1.05 - 600g £1.25 - 700g £1.30 - 750g (max) |
| 1991 (16 Sep) |
18p - 60g 28p - 100g 34p - 150g 41p - 200g 49p - 250g 58p - 300g 66p - 350g 75p - 400g 84p - 450g 93p - 500g £1.15 - 600g £1.35 - 700g £1.40 - 750g £1.90 - 1kg (max) |
1993 (1 Nov) |
19p - 60g 29p - 100g 36p - 150g 43p - 200g 52p - 250g 61p - 300g 70p - 350g 79p - 400g 89p - 450g 98p - 500g £1.20 - 600g £1.40 - 700g £1.45 - 750g £1.95 - 1kg (max) |
1996 (8 Jul) |
20p - 60g 31p - 100g 38p - 150g 45p - 200g 55p - 250g 64p - 300g 73p - 350g 83p - 400g 93p - 450g £1.05 - 500g £1.25 - 600g £1.45 - 700g £1.55 - 750g £2.05 - 1kg (max) |
| 1999 (26 Apr) |
19p - 60g 31p - 100g 40p - 150g 50p - 200g 61p - 250g 70p - 300g 80p - 350g 92p - 400g £1.05 - 450g £1.20 - 500g £1.40 - 600g £1.60 - 700g £1.70 - 750g £2.25 - 1kg (max) |
2000 (27 Apr) |
19p - 60g 33p - 100g 44p - 150g 54p - 200g 66p - 250g 76p - 300g 87p - 350g £1.00 - 400g £1.14 - 450g £1.30 - 500g £1.52 - 600g £1.74 - 700g £1.85 - 750g £2.45 - 1kg (max) |
2002 (4 Jul) |
19p - 60g 33p - 100g 44p - 150g 54p - 200g 66p - 250g 76p - 300g 87p - 350g £1.05 - 400g £1.19 - 450g £1.35 - 500g £1.60 - 600g £1.83 - 700g £1.94 - 750g £2.58 - 1kg (max) |
| 2003 (8 May) |
20p - 60g 34p - 100g 46p - 150g 56p - 200g 69p - 250g 80p - 300g 91p - 350g £1.10 - 400g £1.25 - 450g £1.42 - 500g £1.68 - 600g £1.92 - 700g £2.04 - 750g £2.68 - 1kg (max) |
2004 (31 Mar) |
Last day | ||
NOTES
- Imperial and Foreign Post Warrant 1930
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Warrant 1948
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No.2) Warrant 1957
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No.5) Regulations 1965
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No.3) Regulations 1968
- Post Office (British Commonwealth and Foreign Post) Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1971
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1971
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.5) Scheme 1973
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7A) Scheme 1974
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1975
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, (second) Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1975
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.12) Scheme 1976
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1977
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1979
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1980
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1981
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1982
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1983
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.3) Scheme 1984
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1985
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1986
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1988
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1989
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, and technically Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.11) Scheme 1991.
(The Schemes published in the London Gazette in 1990 jumped from No.10 to No.12, with the missing No.11 apparently being the one which would have contained the rates in the leaflet. Replacement No.11 and No.12 schemes were published in March 1991 to correct what appears to have been a blunder.) - PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1991
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.15) Scheme 1993
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.16) Scheme 1996
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.18) Scheme 1999
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.20) Scheme 2000
- Consignia plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 2002
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7) Scheme 2003
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 2004
