With Royal Mail increasing the price of a 1st class stamp to £1.80, many businesses are now reviewing how they send letters in bulk. Royal Mail’s current postage prices show 1st Class letters from £1.80, and the rise took effect on 7 April 2026.
If you are searching for the cheapest way to send direct mail in the UK, or trying to reduce your bulk mail cost UK, using stamps is no longer the most cost-effective way to do it.
Quick Answer:
The cheapest way to send direct mail in the UK is to use a mailing house that can access Royal Mail bulk postage discounts, handle the print and fulfilment for you, and help reduce your cost per letter.
At Selectabase, qualifying mailings can be sent from around 69p+VAT per letter, including print, envelope, fulfilment and postage.
Why Postage Costs Matter for Businesses
Postage costs add up quickly. If you are sending 500, 1,000 or more letters, every penny makes a difference.
At £1.80 per stamp, sending 1,000 letters would cost £1,800 on postage alone. That is before print, envelopes, labour and fulfilment are added. Royal Mail’s published prices confirm that 1st Class letters now start from £1.80.
That is why more businesses are now searching for:
• “cheapest way to send direct mail in the UK”
• “bulk mail cost UK”
• “how to send letters cheaply in bulk”
• “mailing house for business mail”
If that sounds like you, this guide is for you.
1. Use a UK Mailing House That Accesses Bulk Discounts
The biggest saving usually comes from using a UK mailing house.
At Selectabase, we print, fulfil and post mail in volume, which means customers can benefit from Royal Mail bulk postage discounts without needing to hit the usual volume thresholds themselves.
This includes mail that qualifies for:
• Advertising Mail
• Mailsort discounts
That is how letters can be sent from around 69p+VAT each, rather than paying £1.80 for a stamp alone.
See popular mailing styles here: Sample Mailings
2. Don’t Print and Post Letters Yourself
If you are printing letters in-house, folding them, stuffing envelopes and applying stamps yourself, you are not just spending more money. You are also spending more time.
Typical in-house mailing costs include:
• stamp cost
• envelopes
• paper and toner
• staff time
• trips to the Post Office
For many businesses, the actual bulk mail cost UK is much higher than expected once all of that is added together.
Using a mailing house usually works out cheaper per item and removes the admin at the same time.
3. Send Mail That Qualifies for Lower Postage
Not all mail is priced the same.
Simple letter campaigns that qualify for Advertising Mail and bulk Mailsort discounts can reduce postage costs significantly compared to stamped mail.
This is especially useful for businesses sending:
• direct mail campaigns
• promotional letters
• local business mailings
• customer communications in volume
If your mailing qualifies for the right format and volume discounts, the saving can be substantial.
4. Keep Your Mailing Format Simple
You do not always need expensive formats to get results.
Simple mailings such as:
• A4 letters
• postcards
• standard enclosed mailings
…can often keep your print and postage costs down while still getting your message in front of the right people.
Keeping the format simple is one of the easiest ways to lower your bulk mail cost UK.
5. Send to the Right People
The cheapest direct mail campaign is not always the one with the lowest postage. It is usually the one that wastes the least money.
Sending 1,000 letters to the wrong audience is expensive, even if the postage is cheaper.
That is why targeted data matters.
We help businesses send mail to:
• new local businesses
• businesses by industry or SIC code
• targeted homeowners and households
See our list builder pages here:
Business lists – Targeted Business Lists
Consumer lists – Targeted Consumer Lists
Example Cost Comparison
Sending 1,000 letters using stamps:
• £1.80 per letter
• Total postage cost = £1,800
Sending 1,000 qualifying letters using a bulk print and post service:
• from around 69p+VAT per letter all in
• Total = from around £690+VAT
That is a major saving on just one mailing.
Why Use Selectabase as Your Mailing House?
We are a UK mailing house with more than 30 years of experience helping businesses send direct mail more cost-effectively. The page you shared positions Selectabase as handling print, fulfilment and postage together, with internal links to sample mailings, business lists and consumer lists, plus a direct CTA to send requirements.
Whether you need:
• a one-off letter campaign
• regular monthly mailings
• targeted marketing data
• print and post under one roof
…we make it easier to send business mail without paying retail postage rates.
Final Thoughts: Reduce Your Bulk Mail Cost UK
If you are searching for the cheapest way to send direct mail in the UK, stamps are no longer the answer.
With Royal Mail 1st class stamps now at £1.80, more businesses are rethinking how they send their mail and moving towards more efficient, bulk-based options.
Using a mailing house helps you:
• reduce postage costs
• lower your bulk mail cost UK
• save time
• send mail more efficiently
It is often cheaper than doing it yourself, and a lot easier too.
Ready to Try It?
Send us your requirements here – Get a Mailing Quote
