Royal Mail makes huge change for anyone sending packages from TODAY – will you be hit with extra fees?

ROYAL Mail is bringing in huge changes for anyone sending packages – and customers could soon be hit with extra fees.

From today, August 26, customers will no longer be able to send packages to the US in a temporary shake-up to the postal company’s rules.

It comes after US president Donald Trump decided to axe the tax exemption on low-value parcels coming into the country.

From August 29, packages worth more than $100 will be charged tariffs.

Any packages worth less than $100 will remain duty-free.

The new taxes will also only apply to goods bought and sold, and not to those sent between family and friends.

Royal Mail said it was suspending deliveries to the US and launching a new service for shipping, which would be available from Thursday, August 28.

The company is to add a 50p handling charge per parcel to cover the costs associated with providing clearance services into the US.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “We have been working hard with US authorities and international partners to adapt our services to meet the new US de minimis requirements so UK consumers and businesses can continue to use our services when they come into effect.

“We have temporarily paused existing services to the USA from today (Tuesday 26 August 2025) while we put a new service in place.

“Consumers sending gifts worth less than $100 will not have to pay duty.”

However, cards and letters can continue to be posted to the country.

Before the shake-up to rules was announced by President Trump, there was a tax exemption on packages coming into the US worth up to $800.

The tariff charged to parcels will depend on which country it is being sent from – as US tariffs vary for each country.

Parcels coming from the UK will be subject to a 10% tariff, and those coming from Europe will be hit with a 15% fee.

Postal services in some other countries have also suspended parcel deliveries to the US.

Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Austria were among the countries to temporarily halt many of their parcel deliveries to the US as they prepared for the new tariffs.

Meanwhile, Etsy also announced it was suspending shipping label purchases from August 25 for several carriers including Royal Mail and Evri for parcels going to the US.

“The state of tariffs is evolving, so please be sure to keep an eye on recommendations from your preferred shipping carrier,” the online marketplace said.

OTHER ROYAL MAIL CHANGES

Royal Mail announced last month that it would start delivering second class letters on alternate weekdays rather than Saturdays, in an effort to cut costs.

It’s one of a series of changes made by Royal Mail this year.

In April, the cost of a first-class stamp went up by 5p, now costing £1.70. Second-class stamps rose by 2p to 87p.

Posting a first-class large letter up to 100g now costs £3.15, up from £2.60.

And first-class small parcels weighing up to 2kg rose from £4.79 to £4.99, while second-class jumped from £3.75 to £3.90.

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