Royal Mail employs its drivers
Royal Mail is the exception among the big networks: the person delivering your post is an employee, not a contractor. Driving roles come in three broad shapes. Delivery postmen and postwomen cover a walk or a van round from a local delivery office. Delivery drivers run van routes between offices and to business customers. HGV drivers move mail between the regional mail centres, mostly at night. All of them come with holiday pay, a pension and a fixed shift.
Roles are advertised as permanent, fixed-term, or seasonal. The seasonal intake is large every autumn for the Christmas peak, and it's the most common way in: a fixed-term contract that can convert to permanent when a vacancy opens.
Parcelforce Worldwide
Parcelforce is Royal Mail's parcel business and hires differently. Depots employ drivers directly, and they also take on self-employed owner drivers who run a dedicated route in their own van. If you see "Parcelforce" in an advert, check which of the two it is, because the pay model and the vehicle requirement change completely.
What you need
- A full UK driving licence for van roles, with the HGV category and a Driver CPC for mail centre trunking.
- The right to work in the UK, and a background check covering the last few years of employment. Some sites also require a criminal record declaration.
- The fitness to be on your feet and lifting for a full shift. Delivery walks are long, and parcel volumes have grown.
- For Parcelforce owner driver routes, your own van, business insurance and registration with HMRC as self-employed.
How the pay works
Employed roles pay an hourly rate set nationally, with premiums for early starts, nights and weekends, and overtime through peak. Owner driver rounds at Parcelforce are paid per route. Because Royal Mail rates are public and negotiated, they're a useful benchmark when you're comparing a self-employed offer elsewhere.
How to apply
All Royal Mail Group vacancies, including Parcelforce, go through the group careers site, searchable by postcode. Listings below are roles on Delivery Driver HQ that name Royal Mail or Parcelforce, with the latest van and multi-drop work underneath.