Royal Mail Bereavement Redirection

Royal Mail's redirection service is the only reliable way to receive post addressed to a deceased person at a new address. Applications on behalf of someone who has died go through Royal Mail's Special Circumstances route, which accepts a death certificate and proof of authority to act for the estate (a grant of probate or letters of administration) in place of the identity checks used for an ordinary house move. [source: royal-mail/redirection-bereavement-2026-08-08.txt]

The service covers mail carried through Royal Mail's network; redirected mail is processed as Second Class. Parcels handled by other couriers (DPD, Evri, UPS, DHL) are not covered; those need to be addressed with the retailer directly. A Special Circumstances redirection cannot be set up online, which Royal Mail says protects the identity of the person who died. Instead, the Special Circumstances application form (downloadable from royalmail.com/redirection) is posted to the Royal Mail Redirection Centre or taken to a Post Office branch with the supporting documents. [source: royal-mail/redirection-bereavement-2026-08-08.txt]

Redirections expire on a fixed term of 3, 6 or 12 months and need to be renewed before they lapse, up to a maximum of four years. Royal Mail does not offer an open-ended bereavement redirection; if the original term is allowed to expire, a fresh application is required. [source: royal-mail/redirection-bereavement-2026-08-08.txt]

→ Redirecting post after a death

Last verified: 8 August 2026 against royalmail.com/redirection.

AfterLoss

Our redirecting post after a death guide covers Royal Mail Bereavement Redirection alongside the Mailing Preference Service and the Bereavement Register. The Communications Kit walks through the form completion from inside the case, so the redirect goes on cleanly and the post stops landing in the deceased's name.