Is "Tracked 24" considered secure delivery now?

[AdamWW]

I was under the impression that Royal Mail Special Delivery was a secure delivery service, handled separately from general mail in a fashion suitable for sending valuable items.

My new passport has just come as a regular Tracked 24 delivery. I'm sure in the past I've had them come by courier.

Does anyone know - is tracked 24 now considered more secure than in the past - or are they just saving money by using a less safe service?
I realise that a passport isn't "valuable" in Royal Mail terminology but I think it's probably best not to have your new passport in the wrong hands.

They offer to send your supporting documents back by a secure delivery service for I think an extra £5 and I really don't see how Tracked 24 can be anything like £5 more than the cheapest alternative.

 

[Mojo]

I was under the impression that Royal Mail Special Delivery was a secure delivery service, handled separately from general mail in a fashion suitable for sending valuable items.

I am not sure this is the case; I had a valuable item sent a few weeks ago via Special Delivery and it just came with the normal mail delivery officer along with the regular post.

Unfortunately I missed the doorbell as was in the garden and I was left with a sorry you were out card. Luckily I spotted from the window the mail delivery officer delivering post on another street and chased him down, he was nice enough to return to my house to give it to me. He said that with that type of service it must be delivered to the correct address unless I had specified online (the sender didn't give me tracking number so I couldn't do this) and cannot just be put through the postbox even if it would normally fit. Conversely, Tracked 24 / 48 I have had put through the letterbox or delivered next door if I was out.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

For something like a passport, Tracked 24 with up to £150 compensation likely costs £3.50 (or £5.20 with a signature) for a large letter item weighing up to 750g.

Ordinary first class postage for a 100g large letter item with £20 compensation would be £2.10 (or £3.80 with a signature).

Special delivery by 1 p.m. for a 100g item with £750 compensation would be £7.95.

So, as you say, not sure if you're getting £5 extra value for your additional fiver if items are being sent Tracked 24 rather than Special Delivery.

 

[AdamWW]

I am not sure this is the case; I had a valuable item sent a few weeks ago via Special Delivery and it just came with the normal mail delivery officer along with the regular post.

Yes I don't think it gets couriered separately to your door, but I thought it was handled differently as it passed through the delivery system.

He said that with that type of service it must be delivered to the correct address unless I had specified online (the sender didn't give me tracking number so I couldn't do this) and cannot just be put through the postbox even if it would normally fit. Conversely, Tracked 24 / 48 I have had put through the letterbox or delivered next door if I was out.

According to the envelopes, passports come in a special version of Tracked 24 where they won't put it through a neighbours letterbox or leave it behind the bins. Hard to see why they'd need to.

 

[Magdalia]

I use the guaranteed delivery by 1pm service for anything too big to go through my letter box. I also use it for valuable items even if they will go through the letter box.

It is a particular advantage for me because I live in a controlled entry apartment block. Royal Mail have access and can get to my front door, but other couriers do not.

Within specified size limits the delivery will be by the postie, only big parcels come in a separate van. We are now back to signing for delivery which then comes up on the tracking.

I have done this for a long time on the recommendation of a properly trained post office counter clerk.

For me, the major deterioration in recent times is that items bought at auction are no longer covered by the insurance.

 

[zero]

My new British passport came by Special Delivery in August 2023

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Tracked 24/48 just goes in with the usual mail, and doesn't have any special security requirements, although it needs to have a mandatory delivery scan with GPS during delivery. It will also be automatically tracked as it passes through the sorting machines. It isn't secure but does offer decent tracking.

Special Delivery is handled a little bit differently, it's handled the same as any other mail from collection/post office to the sender's local delivery office, at which point it is scanned "in" manually. It then goes in a secure locker.

It next gets scanned exiting the local delivery office when it goes on a lorry to the nearest mail centre, where it is again scanned in and put in a secure locker. Revenue protection may inspect the postage here.

It then either goes to the receipents local delivery office, or another mail centre, where above process happens again.

It eventually ends up being scanned out of the delivery office with your usual postman, who's PDA will ensure the delivery is made prior to 1pm by adjusting the round if necessary.

It then gets a photograph, signature and GPS stamp once delivered as the final tracked event.

If a postman attempts to deliver the special delivery item outside of the GPS geofence for that address, it will allow it, but can cause an investigation.