The Complete Guide to Parcel Forwarding in the UK
The Complete Guide to Parcel Forwarding in the UK
Parcel forwarding is one of the most practical solutions for international shoppers wanting to access UK retail, and for businesses that need a professional UK address for receiving goods and managing returns. This guide answers the most common questions about UK parcel forwarding — from how it works and what it costs, to the difference between a forwarder and a courier, and when a forwarding address is the right solution for your needs.
What Is a UK Parcel Forwarding Service?
A UK parcel forwarding service gives you a real UK delivery address — typically at a secure warehouse — which you can use as a delivery point for orders placed with UK retailers. Once your parcels arrive at the warehouse, they are held in storage until you are ready to ship them to your actual destination, whether that is an international address or elsewhere within the UK.
The forwarding service receives parcels on your behalf, processes them (photographing, weighing and measuring each item on arrival), and gives you options for how and when they are shipped to your final address. Most services also offer parcel consolidation — combining multiple parcels from different retailers into a single outbound shipment to reduce international shipping costs.
How Much Does UK Parcel Forwarding Cost?
Costs vary by service and depend on what is included as standard. At Send2Hub:
UK address: free. No sign-up fee and no monthly subscription on the Individual and Business plans.
Storage: free for 30 days on the Individual plan, 45 days on the Business plan and 60 days on the Premium plan. Storage extension is available for UK-registered businesses at £5 per parcel per plan period.
Photography on arrival: included as standard — one photograph of each item on the same day it arrives. Additional photographs are available as a paid add-on from your item dashboard.
Consolidation: free — combining multiple parcels into a single outbound shipment is included at no additional charge.
Outbound international shipping: charged based on the chargeable weight of your parcel and your destination. Use our shipping calculator for an instant rate comparison across six major carriers.
See full pricing details on our pricing page.
Parcel Forwarder vs Courier — What Is the Difference?
A courier (such as DHL, FedEx or Royal Mail) ships items directly from a sender to a recipient. A parcel forwarder receives items on your behalf at a UK address and then ships them onwards to your actual destination — which may be international or within the UK. The forwarder acts as an intermediary, giving you a UK receiving point that any UK retailer or carrier can deliver to.
Send2Hub is a parcel forwarder — we receive goods from UK retailers and UK-based senders at our Stoke-on-Trent warehouse, then forward them internationally via our carrier network (Royal Mail, Parcelforce, UPS, DHL, FedEx and DPD).
What Is a Forwarding Address in the UK?
A UK forwarding address is a real UK street address that you use as your delivery point for UK purchases or business correspondence, instead of your actual home or business address. It is not a PO Box — it is a physical address where parcels can be received by any carrier. Send2Hub's address at Unit 4 Tunstall Trade Park, Stoke-on-Trent is a fully operational warehouse that receives and processes thousands of parcels. When you register with Send2Hub, you receive a personalised version of this address with your unique unit number.
Why Do You Need a UK Forwarding Address?
Access UK retailers that do not ship internationally. Many UK online stores — including specialist boutiques, marketplace sellers and some major retailers — only deliver within the UK. A UK forwarding address removes this barrier entirely, giving you access to the full range of UK retail.
Save on international shipping through consolidation. Shipping multiple UK orders individually to an international address means paying international shipping rates for each one separately. Consolidating all your orders into a single outbound shipment via a UK forwarding address typically saves 40-60% on total international shipping costs.
Provide a professional UK return address. Businesses selling on Amazon UK, eBay UK or other UK marketplaces benefit from a professional UK returns address that builds buyer confidence and reduces the cost of managing UK customer returns.
Stay connected to the UK while living abroad. Expats and people with ongoing connections to the UK use forwarding addresses to continue receiving UK mail, parcels and purchases while based overseas.
Is Parcel Forwarding Safe?
Yes — provided you use a reputable, established service. Send2Hub operates a secure, fully automated warehouse with photography on arrival for every item. Every parcel is photographed the day it arrives, so you have a documented visual record of its condition before it is forwarded. All outbound shipments are tracked, and optional shipping insurance is available for added peace of mind. See our prohibited and restricted items page for details of goods that cannot be forwarded internationally.
What Happens When a Parcel Is Forwarded?
When a parcel arrives at Send2Hub's warehouse, it is photographed, weighed and measured automatically on the same day it arrives. Full details appear in your account dashboard immediately. You can then request forwarding at any time — selecting your carrier, confirming the destination address and paying for shipping. We prepare customs documentation and dispatch your parcel. Your tracking number is provided in your dashboard and by email as soon as the shipment is collected by the carrier. Visit our parcel tracking page for carrier tracking links.
How Do You Get a UK Forwarding Address?
Register free at Send2Hub — it takes under two minutes and your personalised UK address is available immediately. No waiting period, no documents required to register. Your unique unit number is assigned automatically and appears in your account dashboard. The Individual and Business plans are free — no monthly subscription and no setup fee.
Once you have your address, use it at checkout with any UK retailer, provide it as your return address on UK marketplace listings, or share it with UK-based suppliers who need to deliver to you. For guidance on how to fill in the address correctly at UK retailer checkouts, see our how to fill the address form page.
What Does "Forwarded for Delivery" Mean?
"Forwarded for delivery" on a tracking update means your parcel has left the intermediate forwarding address and is now with the outbound carrier, en route to its final destination. In Send2Hub's context, this means your consolidated shipment has been collected by your chosen carrier (DHL, FedEx, Royal Mail etc.) and is in transit to your international address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a UK forwarding address from the Post Office?
No. Royal Mail's redirect service redirects mail from an existing UK address to another UK address — it does not provide a new UK address for receiving parcels. For a new UK receiving address that works with any carrier and any retailer, you need a private parcel forwarding service such as Send2Hub.
Does parcel forwarding include mail forwarding?
Send2Hub's address can be used for both parcel and mail receipt. For details of mail handling and forwarding specifically, visit our mail handling and forwarding service page.
How much can I save by consolidating parcels?
Most Send2Hub customers save 40-60% on international shipping by consolidating multiple parcels into a single outbound shipment compared to shipping each one separately. The exact saving depends on the number of parcels, their combined weight and your destination.
Do I pay customs duties when forwarding parcels internationally?
Customs duties and import taxes depend on your destination country and the total declared value of your shipment. Use our customs duty estimator to check likely charges before shipping. Note that the EU introduced a new flat €3 customs duty per item category on parcels valued at €150 or below from 1 July 2026, and the US suspended its $800 duty-free threshold in August 2025.
What types of goods cannot be forwarded internationally?
Send2Hub cannot accept or forward prohibited goods including counterfeit items, certain hazardous materials, SIM cards and other restricted items. Some goods are restricted and may be accepted with limitations. Visit our prohibited and restricted items page for the full list before sending goods to your UK address.