Virtual Office London

Mail Forwarding Service UK

UK mail forwarding services receive business post at a professional address and send it to you digitally or physically. Digital scanning emails each letter as it arrives, whilst physical forwarding consolidates and posts the originals on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. Costs depend on volume, speed, and whether scans and forwarding are included or charged per item.

By Jordan Macey MAAT Reviewed by Noor Fiaz Updated 16 Apr 2026 4

Key takeaways

Mail forwarding lets UK businesses receive post at a professional business address that replaces their home address on public Companies House records.
Digital mail forwarding scans each letter and sends it by email or to a shared folder, typically billed per scan or as a fixed monthly fee.
Physical mail forwarding consolidates letters and posts the originals to a chosen address on a same-day, weekly, monthly, or quarterly schedule.
Pricing models vary widely, including per-item notifications, mail lookup fees, storage charges, all-inclusive scanning, and cost-plus markups of 30% to 300% on postage.
A basic mail collection package is usually free but carries the risk of missing time-sensitive HMRC or Companies House letters if post is not collected often enough.

What is Mail Forwarding?

Mail forwarding is a convenient way to use a registered business address to receive all your business mail, and to ensure you receive your mail on time.

The benefits of using a professional address are that it allows you to keep your home address off of public records (like Companies House) and you can put it on your website, business cards and use online directories, like Google My Business to get found in local search results.

When you essentially use the office of someone else without being a tenant then issues can arise with getting your mail promptly.

Some locations will only let you collect your mail, while others will charge a variety of additional charges for either sending on your mail, notifying you or for even checking to see if you've received mail when you ask.

Mail collection services

Well, this isn't really mail forwarding but this is a basic business address package where you go and collect your mail. This should be used with caution as you may forget to pick up your mail for a while and can then find that you have fines from Companies House or HMRC.

If you take a collection package, you should double check if your virtual office provider can check if you have mail (for free) before you go to the office. Some may use a digital notifications system to let you know when mail has arrived, but this is not used very frequently in the UK.

Digital mail forwarding and scanning

With Digital Mail Forwarding or scanning, an office address operator will scan and send your mail to you.

This could be done through email or a shared folder for you both to view. This is typically an extra cost, and you'll want to check if it's done on a price per scan or a fixed monthly fee.

Physical mail forwarding and mail redirection

Physical mail forwarding means that your business address provider will consolidate and forward your business mail to you when it arrives. There's a few ways that it can be done.

Mail forwarding costs

It can vary between providers with some charging more to digitally scan your mail vs forwarding it.

There are a few pricing models to look out for:

Digital Notifications: a fee every time you receive a piece of mail. You might receive an email or use an app to receive these notifications.
Mail lookup fee: this can be charged to check if a piece of mail has arrived.
Mail Storage: if you don't collect your mail in a certain amount of time then you may have to pay your provider for each week/ month it is stored on paper letter basis. This is typically used as a way to encourage you to pay for a mail forwarding package.
All-inclusive scanning: your office provider will scan each piece of mail as it arrives and you won't be charged a fee for each scan. This could also be subject to a fair use policy where if you receive more than 100 pieces of mail a month then you'll probably get charged.
All-inclusive forwarding: your mail will be forwarded for an agreed price each month. Again, this could be subject to a fair use policy or additional fees for international shipping.
Same day forwarding: mail is forwarded the day it arrives (or next day if it was received after a cut off time).
Weekly forwarding: you'll receive your consolidated mail on a weekly basis.
Monthly forwarding: your mail will be consolidated and forwarded to you at the end of each month. Slightly risky if you have some time sensitive documents you need.
Quarterly forwarding: an even riskier but cheaper option is quarterly forwarding. If you're not worried about any fines or important pieces of mail then this can be a cheap way to receive your business mail
Cost + Markup percentage: your business address provider will add a margin (between 30% to 300%) of the cost of sending your mail.

What is Forma mail forwarding?

Forma operates a London Virtual Office in Finsbury. Our key focus is simplicity - both for you and for us.

Here's what you'll get with Forma business mail forwarding:

All-inclusive digital scanning or physical forwarding for £30/ £38 a month
Professional central London business address
Ability to work in our coffee shop
High quality meeting rooms from only £60 an hour
Access to partnership discounts on insurance, bank accounts and more
Flexible month-to-month agreement
Rapid digital onboarding process

Frequently asked questions

What is a mail forwarding service?

A mail forwarding service receives your business post at a professional registered address and then either scans it digitally, posts the original to you, or holds it for in-person collection. Many UK limited company directors use mail forwarding so their home address does not appear on Companies House public records, whilst still receiving every HMRC, Companies House, and bank letter promptly and securely.

What is the difference between digital and physical mail forwarding?

Digital mail forwarding, sometimes called mail scanning, means your provider scans each incoming letter and sends it to you by email or into a shared online folder. Physical forwarding means the provider posts the original envelope to your chosen address, either the same day it arrives or as a consolidated batch on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly schedule. Digital is usually faster and cheaper per item.

How much does mail forwarding cost in the UK?

Costs depend on the pricing model. Some providers charge per item (for example, a fee for every letter scanned or a mail-lookup fee to check for arrivals). Others offer all-inclusive packages that bundle scanning or physical forwarding for a fixed monthly fee. Cost-plus markups of 30% to 300% on postage are common for physical forwarding. Expect extras if you exceed a fair-use allowance or need international shipping.

Can I use mail forwarding as my Companies House registered office?

Yes, most UK mail forwarding providers let you register the address as your Companies House registered office and your HMRC correspondence address. Your provider must complete Anti-Money Laundering (AML) identity checks before you can accept official post at the address. Using a forwarded address for Companies House filings is one of the most common reasons small UK businesses use a mail forwarding service.

How quickly will my mail be forwarded?

It depends on the package. Same-day forwarding dispatches the original on the day it arrives, or next day if it comes after a cut-off time. Weekly, monthly, or quarterly forwarding batches post to cut postage costs at the expense of speed. Digital scanning is usually the fastest option, with letters scanned and uploaded or emailed within hours so you can read them immediately.

What are the hidden costs to watch out for in mail forwarding?

Watch for per-item notification fees (charged every time post arrives), mail-lookup fees (charged to check if you have mail), and mail storage fees if you do not collect within a set window. Some providers also add a cost-plus markup (30% to 300%) on international postage, or apply fair-use caps after a certain number of letters a month. Read the small print before signing up.