What Is Mail Forwarding? Complete Guide to UK Mail Forwarding
What Is Mail Forwarding? Complete Guide to UK Mail Forwarding
Send2Hub is one of the most automated forwarding services around, offering free plans, long storage, six carriers and same-day processing on everything that arrives.
If you live outside Britain but still need to receive post sent to a British address, whether that's a bank statement, a subscription box, or correspondence from an organisation back home, mail forwarding is the service that makes it possible. This guide explains exactly what it is, how it works, and where it differs from the parcel forwarding most people already know Send2Hub for.
What Mail Forwarding Actually Means
Mail forwarding is a service that gives you a real, physical address in Britain where post can be delivered on your behalf. Whoever is sending you something, whether it's a company, an old employer, or a friend, addresses it to that location as if you lived there. Once it arrives, the forwarding provider collects it, records that it's arrived, and sends it on to wherever you actually are.
It sounds simple because it is. The complexity, where it exists, is usually in the logistics behind it: making sure nothing gets lost, that you're notified the moment something arrives, and that onward delivery is reliable no matter which country you're in.
Mail Forwarding Versus Parcel Forwarding
People often use the two terms interchangeably, but there's a practical distinction worth understanding. Mail typically refers to letters, documents and lighter correspondence, the kind of thing that arrives in an envelope. Parcels are physical goods, purchases from retailers, packages you've ordered online. The handling process for each looks similar on the surface, an GB mailing address, an arrival, an onward journey, but the volume, packaging and typical urgency tend to differ.
In practice, most people using a forwarding address end up needing both at different points, a subscription renewal letter one week, a parcel from an online order the next. A good forwarding address should handle either without you having to think about which category something falls into.
Who Actually Needs This
British expats living abroad are probably the largest group, people who moved but still have accounts, subscriptions or ties that generate post back home. International shoppers who want a settled GB address to use consistently across multiple retailers are another common group. Anyone spending time overseas long term but not ready to fully sever their British postal footprint tends to find this useful too.
How the Process Works With Send2Hub
Register for free at send2hub.com/login. You'll be given your own personalised GB address at our warehouse in Stoke-on-Trent, with a unique unit number attached to your account. No monthly fee applies on the Individual and Business plans.
Give that address to whoever needs to send you something. When it arrives, our automated system logs it the same day, weighing, measuring and photographing it, so you can see it's arrived without needing to ask us. That confirmation lands in your dashboard straight away.
From there, you choose what happens next. If you only have one item, you can request onward delivery immediately. If you're expecting more over the coming weeks, it's usually more cost effective to let things build up in free storage and send everything together. Consolidating several items into one shipment costs nothing, it's free, with an optional paid add-on if you want the original packaging removed. It typically cuts the overall delivery cost by around 40 to 60 percent compared with sending each item separately.
Free storage runs for 30 days on the Individual plan, 45 days on Business, and 60 days on Premium (£20 per month), which also comes with priority handling. Compare delivery options across Royal Mail, Parcelforce, UPS, DHL, FedEx and DPD using our shipping calculator before you commit to a service.
Reliable, Tracked Delivery Once Items Move On
Once you request onward delivery from GB, tracked services get your items moving quickly, express options with DHL and FedEx are typically the fastest choice if something is time sensitive, while economy services through Royal Mail or Parcelforce suit anything less urgent. Whichever you choose, you get tracking details so you're not left wondering where something has got to.
Safety and Security of Your Post
Everything you receive goes through a secure, fully automated warehouse. Each item is photographed on arrival, giving you a documented record before it moves anywhere in the process, and that record sits in your dashboard for as long as you need it. You always know exactly what's arrived, what condition it's in, and where it stands, without having to ask.
What This Address Cannot Be Used For
A Send2Hub address is strictly for parcel and mail forwarding. It cannot be used as a registered office address, for Companies House registration, or for correspondence from banks, HMRC or other official government and financial bodies. If you're expecting sensitive financial or legal documents, you'll need a different solution for those specifically, this service is built for everyday post and parcels, not formal registration purposes.
Why Automation Makes a Real Difference
Send2Hub's platform runs on automation rather than manual processing, which matters more than it might sound. Every item is weighed, measured and photographed the moment it arrives, with no queue, no waiting for someone to get round to logging it. One standard photograph of the outer packaging is included on every item at no extra cost, with additional photographs available on request from your dashboard if you want a closer look at something specific.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between mail forwarding and a virtual address?
Mail forwarding involves an active process of receiving something and physically sending it on to you. A virtual address is more of a concept, an address you use without living there. Send2Hub's address works for both, it's a real physical location, but the forwarding is what actually gets your post and parcels moving to where you are.
Can I use this address for official documents or banking correspondence?
No. It's strictly for parcel and mail forwarding and cannot be used for Companies House registration, HMRC correspondence, banking documents, or any other official or financial purpose.
How quickly will I know something has arrived?
Everything is processed the same day it arrives at the warehouse. You'll see it logged in your dashboard, with a photograph, weight and dimensions, as soon as our system has recorded it.
Is there a fee to receive and hold items before forwarding them on?
No. Storage is free for 30 days on the Individual plan, 45 days on Business, and 60 days on Premium. You only pay when you're ready to have something delivered onward.
Can I combine several items into one onward delivery?
Yes, and it's free. Removing the original packaging is available as an optional paid add-on if you need it. Holding things in free storage to send together typically saves 40 to 60 percent compared with sending each one separately.