Business Mail Redirection: Why & How You Redirect Business Post

Business mail redirection is a service that helps companies get their mail forwarded to an address after it has been sent elsewhere. For example, if a company based in an office decides to start working remotely, a mail redirection service will help any mail sent to their old office address find its way to the new business location. Business mail redirection can have many uses and benefits to businesses; here’s how and why you might need it, and our approach to helping businesses redirect their post.

What is mail redirection for business?

Business mail redirection is a service provided by the Royal Mail that diverts any mail intended for one location and recipient(s) on to a further address. This means that if you’re not present in a location, or you no longer operate from there and you still receive mail, you can have the mail redirected before it is delivered to an outdated address. Business redirection is only suitable for when your entire business is changing locations. The below rates are correct as of 08/03/2022 and highlight the price to set up a mail redirection service per business trading name:

UK address

3 months: £216

6 months: £321

1 year: £519

Overseas addresses

3 months: £252

6 months: £391

1 year: £666

Business mail diversion

Business mail diversion is the solution for businesses that only have part of their office or workforce moving locations. This service is aimed at multi-occupancy businesses, and prices are charged per department, business name or response licence number. Essentially, if you only need part of your business mail redirected, then business mail diversion is more appropriate to you. The following prices are true as of 08/03/2022:

3 months: £1,206

6 months: £2,094

12 months: £3,492

Small business diversion 

If you have fewer than 50 employees, you’re eligible for the reduced rates offered to smaller businesses:

3 months: £259.20

6 months: £385.20

12 months: £622.80

Why might businesses need to redirect their mail?

As a basic rule, if your business is moving premises, either temporarily or permanently, you should consider a mail redirection service. Mail is one of the final physical forms of communication, and it’s used by businesses every day for contacting clients, customers and stakeholders, sending and receiving important documents and a variety of other uses. Here are some real-life examples of why we’ve seen businesses redirect their mail:

1. Change in office premises, either temporary or permanent.
2. Stationed across multiple locations, within the UK and internationally.
3. A change in the way the business operates, such as working from home, hot desking, flexible working and rotating staff.
4. To save costs on mail processing by centralising inbound mail.
5. Businesses operating internationally, or a temporary move of the workforce to an overseas location.
6. When companies are unable to access the office premises, such as during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Business mail redirection: virtual addresses and online mail management

Business mail redirection as a standalone service only offers businesses a solution to have their mail physically redirected to another location. However, many businesses have started to utilise virtual addresses and online mail management solutions to digitise this process, improve efficiencies and reduce their costs when handling company mail. Here’s how each of the standalone services works:

Virtual addresses

A virtual address is a physical location that can be used by multiple businesses instead of their home or office address. Businesses are offered a unique variation of the address, often in the form of a unit number that is provided when signing up. For example, two companies may sign up to the same virtual address location, but their addresses will be unique to them.

Virtual addresses have many benefits to businesses, such as privacy protection, use as a registered office address, and conveying a professional image. But when it comes to mail redirection, they act as a ‘hub’ for all of your business mail, replacing the need for a physical location. The benefits of this are that no matter how often your business moves, relocates the workforce or changes its operations, the virtual address will always remain the same. This means that you’ll only need to set up a redirection service once, and then use the virtual address for future inbound mail. 

Online mail management

Online mail management is a service that removes the physical element of handling post, transforming it into a digital solution. Implementing online mail management eliminates the need for a physical mailroom, business stationery, improves efficiencies and saves on costs. 

UK Postbox & business mail redirection

Taking the above points into consideration, we have developed a solution for businesses to completely transform how they receive, handle and manage their mail. Combining our virtual address options with our leading mail management platform, we offer companies all of the tools they need to digitise their mail process. 

We can offer bespoke plans for businesses who need a custom solution, and we’re regularly updating and improving the integrations of our services with other popular business software. Here’s how it works:

1. Use your UK Postbox virtual address for all of your inbound business mail. If needed, set up a redirection from your previous/current premises to your new virtual address.
2. When we receive mail for you at our secure facility, we’ll scan the outside of the envelope or parcel and send a notification to your account.
3. Using our advanced online mail management system, you can request that we open and scan the contents, forward on to another location, store or destroy.

We have more features such as hybrid mail, e-retail solutions and banking, but if you’re only concerned with business mail redirection, the steps detailed above are all you need to digitise your mail process. If you have any questions or do require a bespoke service for your business, just get in touch, and we’ll work with you to find a solution that works.