Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to announce details of its last recommended posting dates, opening and closing times, and collection and delivery times across its services for the festive period, along with other important information for customers.
Isle of Man Post Office Retail Network
The Post Office network will be open as normal in the lead up to Christmas. Some of our branches will be operating extended opening hours over the festive period, visit www.iompost.com/christmas for a full breakdown. Please note that on Tuesday, December 24th most of our Post Offices close early and Post Office Headquarters as well as Northern Delivery office will close at 15:00. All Post Offices will be closed on December 25th and December 26th. In the lead up to New Year’s most Post Offices will close early; Post Office Headquarters and Northern Delivery Office will close at 16:00 on December 31st. Wednesday January 1st all Post Offices will be closed. As of Thursday, January 2nd, all Post Offices and delivery offices will be open as usual, except for Laxey, Peel and Sulby, who will close early.
MiCard
During the festive period the Department of Health and Social Care has advised of the early encashment of pensions and allowances for the convenience of customers. Friday December 20th is double pension day - early pension payments for Friday December 27th will be available. Allowances due for payment on December 24th, December 25th and December 26th can be collected on December 23rd and allowances due on January 1st 2020 may be collected on December 31st.
Sending Mail
Customers are kindly reminded to make sure any items being sent are safe to fly this Christmas. Many everyday items are classified as prohibited or restricted under transport legislation therefore some cannot be flown. For a full list of prohibited and restricted items visit www.iompost.com/restricted. Alternatively, if you are unsure about any items you wish to post to the UK or overseas this Christmas, please contact Customer Services on 664664 or ask at your local post office.
Last Recommended Posting Dates
For last recommended posting dates to international destinations customers should refer to www.iompost.com/christmas and regularly check announcements via our social media channels. We also would like to advise all customers to post their items as early as possible to avoid any disappointments on Christmas Day.
For friends and family of HM Forces personnel, mail must be sent by no later than Friday 13th December for static BFPOs. Don't forget friends and family can continue to send letters and parcels up to 2kg free of charge to any BFPO address.
The last posting date for sending letters, large letters and packets to the UK via first class mail (no delivery date guarantee) is 20th December; this is also the last posting date for Special Delivery Saturday Guarantee (for delivery on 21st December). If you are running late then the Special Delivery deadline for delivery in the UK on 24th December is Monday the 23rd of December.
Customers are also reminded to make sure their letters and parcels are addressed complete with a postcode and a return address included, along with correct postage to avoid any delays.
For full details of our Safe to Fly advice, last posting dates and addressing standards visit www.iompost.com/christmas.
Receiving Mail
Customers that miss their parcel delivery are encouraged to use our online redelivery request service to arrange delivery of their item on a more convenient day. Alternatively, to avoid missing any deliveries altogether, customers can sign up for Isle of Man Post Office’s free Safe Place service. This means if you are not at home when the post person delivers a package, it can be left in a designated Safe Place as nominated by you. If customers are signing up for Safe Place, Isle of Man Post Office also encourage them to sign up for our Authority to Sign service. This allows the post person to leave your Signed For items in your Safe Place while you’re out.
Details of Redelivery, Safe Place services and Authority to Sign services can be found at www.iompost.com/SafePlace, alternatively, pick up a form at your local post office or ask your post person.
Letters to Father Christmas
This Christmas Isle of Man Post Office continue to offer a free reply service for all the children that write letters to Father Christmas. Father Christmas will endeavour to respond to each and every letter so these should be sent as soon as possible in an envelope with a first class stamp, so it reaches Father Christmas in Lapland in a timely manner. Letters without a stamp will not reach Lapland. Father Christmas letters should be arrive no later than 13th December. To ensure children are not disappointed, all letters should also include a return address, so Father Christmas knows who to send a reply to.
Information about Father Christmas letters and sending and receiving Christmas mail can be found on the Christmas page of our website www.iompost.com/christmas.
Self-service kiosks
Customers are also reminded of the Isle of Man Post Office’s self-service Pay & Post Kiosks which are positioned across the Island and offer convenient access to postal services out of working hours without the need to queue. The Pay & Post Kiosks assist those customers wishing to pay to send letters and packets, purchase postage and pay Government rates and rents, fixed and endorsable penalty fines and utility bills. Details of their locations can be found at www.iompost.com/kiosks
Foreign Exchange
Finally, Isle of Man Post Office would like to remind customers that they offer competitive rates with 0% commission plus a commission free buy-back on notes when you return. Foreign currency is available to order at any time online or in any of our 24 branches across the Island. You can either collect your ordered foreign currency from any branch or get free quick delivery (via Special Delivery) straight to your door. Euros and US Dollars are instantly available in these branches: Douglas, Peel, Port Erin, Laxey, Ramsey or at Postal Headquarters and if you plan to give foreign currency to your loved ones as a Christmas gift for their next trip you can ask for a gift wallet in branch or tick the selection box online.
Visit www.iompost.com/forex for further information or call into any branch for details.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
· BFPO – British Forces Post Office
· Keep up-to-date with the latest news on on Facebook: @IsleofManPostOffice or on Twitter: @IoMPostOffice
· Customer Services 664664
Dedicated Christmas website with all of the key posting information on: iompost.com/Christmas
Connect with the Post Office PR Team to keep up to date with news and press information.