How to Address a Letter in the UK

How to address a letter in the UK: The short answer

If you want to know how to address a letter in the UK, write the recipient’s full name on the first line, followed by the building number and street name, then the locality (if needed), the post town in capital letters, and the postcode in capitals with a space. Do not use commas or full stops. Place the address on the front lower-left of the envelope.

Line 1: Recipient’s name – Line 2: Flat number, building, and street name – Line 3: Locality – Line 4: Post town – Line 5: Postcode

Royal Mail sets this format for every UK address, covering everything from postcodes to capitalisation. Getting it right matters even more if you’ve recently arrived in the UK: newcomers from India, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Poland often need to use this format for the first time when opening a bank account, registering with a GP, or sending documents to family back home. If you’re still settling in, our guide on what to know before moving to the UK covers other everyday essentials.

All the facts in a glance

Write the recipient’s name, then the building number and street, locality (if needed), post town in capitals, and postcode in capitals with a space. Do not use commas or full stops.
No county is needed: the postcode carries all the routing information Royal Mail requires.
Can’t write clearly? Royal Mail’s Click & Drop lets you generate and print address labels at home.

The correct UK address format, line by line

Clear writing and correct formatting keep your letter moving through Royal Mail’s system without delay. Here’s how the five lines fit together, with an example for each.

Line 1: Recipient’s name

Start with the full name of the person you’re writing to, such as Mr John Smith. Titles are optional; John Smith alone is also acceptable.

Line 2: Flat number, building, and street name

Write the house number or building name, followed by the street name, such as Flat 2, 21 Royal Street. If the building has a name but no number, place the name on its own line above the street.

Line 3: Locality

Include this only if it helps clarify which part of town or city the address refers to.

Line 4: Post town

Write this in capital letters, for example LONDON or GLASGOW.

Line 5: Postcode

Write this in capitals too, with the correct spacing, for example E1 6AA or NW1 8AF.

On the envelope, it might look something like this:

Mr John Smith

Flat 2

21 Royal Fake Street

Croydon

LONDON

BR3 3EH

Where to position the address on the envelope

Place the recipient’s address on the bottom-left of the envelope, with all lines left-aligned and free of commas or full stops, which can interfere with Royal Mail’s sorting machines.

A return address isn’t required on every letter, but if you include one, place it in the top-left corner of the front or the centre of the back flap. For international mail, use a UK return address. Stamps go in the top-right corner.

Do you need to include the county?

No county is required when addressing a letter in the UK. The postcode provides all the routing information Royal Mail needs for delivery, so you can leave the county out. You can still include it if you wish, particularly where it forms part of the recipient’s address.

How to address a letter to a business in the UK

Addressing a formal letter to a UK business follows the same format, with one addition: include the business name and, ideally, the specific person or department you’re contacting.

Write the company name first, then the person or department, followed by the standard address lines: street, locality, post town, and postcode.

Box Company

FAO Paul Paulson

21 Royal Fake Street

Croydon

LONDON

BR3 3EH

The business name alone is often enough, but naming a specific person or department helps it get sorted faster. If you only have a suite or floor number, add it on the line where you’d normally put a name or department.

How to address a business with a PO Box

If the business uses a PO Box, list the company name and contact person first, then the PO Box number, post town, and postcode. The PO Box simply replaces the street address.

Box Company

FAO Paul Paulson

PO Box 123

LONDON

EC1A 1HQ

FAO vs ATTN

FAO, meaning “for the attention of”, is the conventional abbreviation used in UK business correspondence when you want a letter directed to a particular person or department. ATTN is also understood in English business correspondence but is commonly associated with US usage.

How to address an international letter from the UK

International letters follow the same Royal Mail format, with one difference: write the address in English and add the destination country in full, in capital letters, on the final line, never abbreviated. A letter to family in India, the Philippines, or Nigeria, for example, should end with “INDIA”, “PHILIPPINES”, or “NIGERIA” in capitals.

John Smith

21 Royal Fake Street

Mumbai

400001

INDIA

Omit commas and full stops here too, just as with domestic letters. If you’re unsure, check the Royal Mail website or ask at your local post office.

Royal Mail offers three international services: International Standard for everyday post, International Economy for less urgent items, and International Tracked, which includes tracking and delivery confirmation.

Common mistakes that delay or return your post

Avoid these common mistakes when addressing your post. According to Ofcom’s 2024-25 Post Monitoring Report, complaints to Royal Mail about mis-delivered post rose by 35.6% year-on-year, which makes getting every line of the address right worth the extra care.

Incorrect or incomplete postcode: Royal Mail’s automated sorting relies on accuracy, so a misspelt street name or partial postcode can delay or return your letter.
Illegible handwriting: A messy or smudged address forces manual sorting, which can delay delivery or send the letter back.
No return address: Not required, but worth including on anything important or sensitive, so it can be returned to you if delivery fails.
Abbreviated country name: Write the full destination country in capital letters, since abbreviations can cause confusion during international sorting.
Commas or full stops: Keep every line punctuation-free and left-aligned, since these symbols can interfere with Royal Mail’s sorting machines.

If handwriting isn’t your strong suit, a dark, waterproof pen (blue or black) and steady, unhurried writing will help keep every line clear and legible.

What to do if you cannot write legibly

If handwriting isn’t an option, print the address directly onto the envelope or use a label instead. Royal Mail’s online Click & Drop service lets you generate and print postage labels at home, which you can then affix to your letter.

FAQs

Where does the stamp go on the envelope?

Stamps go in the top-right corner of the envelope. International letters may need more than one stamp, so check with your local post office before posting.

Do I need to include the county in the address?

No. Royal Mail doesn’t require a county for UK deliveries. The post town and postcode already provide all the information needed for sorting.

What if I don’t know the postcode?

You can look it up using Royal Mail’s free Postcode Finder tool, which searches the Postcode Address File (PAF) to match a partial address to its correct postcode.

What if the building has a name instead of a number?

Write the building name on its own line above the street name. Adding a specific person or department, if you have one, helps ensure it reaches the right place.

Is it acceptable to print the address instead of handwriting it?

Yes. Printing ensures the address is fully legible and properly formatted, which is especially useful if your handwriting isn’t clear.

What is the correct format for a PO Box address?

Include the company name and contact person first, followed by the PO Box number, post town, and postcode, the same as a standard business address, with the PO Box replacing the street line.

How should I address an international letter from the UK?

Use the same UK format, written in English, and add the destination country in full, in capital letters, on the final line, for example INDIA, NIGERIA, or POLAND.

Key Takeaways

The UK address format uses five lines: recipient’s name, building and street, locality (if needed), post town in capitals, and postcode in capitals with a space.
No county is needed. Royal Mail’s postcode already carries the routing information required for delivery.
Avoid commas and full stops throughout, since they can interfere with Royal Mail’s automated sorting.
For international letters, write the destination country in full, in capital letters, on the final line, never abbreviated.
If handwriting is a challenge, Royal Mail’s Click & Drop service lets you generate and print address labels at home.

Whether you’re writing to family back home or sending important documents abroad, getting the address right helps your post arrive without delays. And when it’s time to send money instead of a letter, Remitly makes it just as simple to reach the people who matter most, wherever they are.