Royal Mail's Christmas 2026 seasonal recruitment is still open, with applications being taken now for the festive peak across the UK. The company's official careers page confirms that applications are open for its seasonal team, which covers the busiest period of the year from late October through to early January 2027, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas itself. When the recruitment drive was announced in September, Royal Mail said it was hiring almost 22,000 temporary workers, and the roles remain live on its careers site as the peak approaches.

The roles on offer

Four kinds of seasonal role are listed: Seasonal Mail Sorter, working in mail centres and parcel hubs sorting letters and parcels; Parcel Delivery Driver, delivering cards and parcels to doorsteps; LGV and MGV Driver, moving mail between sites across the country; and Customer Service Assistant, helping customers by phone and email. No previous experience is required for most roles, although delivery drivers need a full manual UK driving licence and HGV drivers need the relevant licence. Mail sorters should be comfortable on their feet for long periods and lifting mail bags weighing up to 11kg.

How to apply

Applications are made online through Royal Mail's careers site, with a fully digital process covering the application form, document checks and job offer. Depending on location, some vacancies are advertised by Royal Mail's recruitment partners: Angard Staffing handles customer service and, in Northern Ireland, seasonal mail sorters, while Pertemps and Manpower handle driving roles. Shifts vary by site, with part-time and full-time patterns available around a 24/7 operation, and exact schedules are confirmed for each vacancy. Anyone applying should check the individual advert for its hours, location and requirements before submitting an application.

Sources: Royal Mail Careers (official), ChannelX.