Delivery options, timing and how Saturday delivery works

Modified on Thu, 30 Jul at 5:08 PM

Our delivery options are timed from when your order is dispatched, not from when it was placed. This is because every order needs to be reviewed by the doctors and dispensed first. Saturday delivery is available on any order, but it will hold the order until the Friday before so it arrives on the requested Saturday - This does not mean if you order on a Friday with Saturday delivery that you will definitely get it the next day as it needs to be approved by the doctors before it can be processed and dispatched.

Who this applies to

This article applies to all customers placing an order for UK delivery. International delivery is not available; see our UK-only delivery and prescribing article for more.

How delivery timing works

All our delivery options are timed from dispatch, not from when you place the order. For example, "24-hour tracked" means 24 hours from when the parcel leaves us, not 24 hours from when you click pay.

This is because each order needs to be:

Reviewed and approved by the doctors, and potentially have any queries answered by the customer through customer service.
Dispensed by our pharmacy team.
Picked up by the delivery partner.

The doctor review needs to happen to ensure this medication is being issued safely and appropriately. Timing from dispatch makes sure the delivery window you have paid for is the one you actually receive.

Delivery options

Royal Mail 24-hour tracked. Includes online tracking. Royal Mail's official timeframe for this service is 1 to 2 working days from dispatch, although they usually aim for and achieve next working day delivery.
Royal mail 48 hour tracked. This is our standard delivery and is 48 hours from dispatch.
Special delivery. Guaranteed timed delivery, signed for on arrival. The fastest option if you need the parcel urgently. This is still timed from dispatch, as no prescription orders can go out without doctor approval.
Saturday delivery. Delivered on Saturday, signed for on arrival. See below.

Addresses exempt from next-day guaranteed delivery

Royal Mail currently has the below specifications regarding their guaranteed deliveries:

Delivery timeframe	Postcode areas
By 5.30pm the next working day	AB30–39, 41–45, 51–56; HS1, 3–9; IV21–28, 40–49, 51–56; KA27, 28; KW1–3, 5–15; KW16 Stromness Town only; PA20 (0&9); PA28–38, 41–49, 76, 77; PH15, 17–26, 31–40, 49, 50; ZE1
Within two working days by 5.30pm	HS2; IM, JE; PA60–75, 78; ZE2, 3
Within three working days by 5.30pm	KW16 (non-Town); KW17; PH30, 41–44

How Saturday delivery works

Saturday delivery can be selected on any day of the week. The system holds the order until the Friday before your chosen Saturday, then dispatches it so it arrives on the Saturday as requested. If the order is not released that Friday, it is held automatically for the next Saturday delivery, unless you have contacted us successfully before it is processed and dispatched.
Customers usually choose Saturday delivery because they know they will be home that day to receive it, rather than the parcel going to a sorting office during the week.
If you change your mind and want your parcel sooner, contact us as soon as you realise. As long as it has not yet been processed and dispatched, we will update the delivery method and happily refund the difference in delivery costs back to you.

Royal Mail also has the following stipulations regarding Saturday deliveries:

Some businesses won't accept Saturday deliveries, including:

banks
building societies
travel agents
jewellers
Post Office® branches

We can't guarantee Saturday delivery to Isle of Man, Jersey, Herm, Sark and Alderney.

If you need your parcel as soon as possible

For the fastest delivery on any day of the week, choose:

Royal Mail 24-hour tracked, or
Special delivery (which needs to be signed for).

Both are timed from dispatch, after the order has been approved and dispensed.

Bank holidays

Around bank holidays, expect some delays compared to a normal working week. We continue to process and dispatch where we can, but the delivery partners' timetables shift around bank holidays and that affects when your parcel will arrive.

Common scenarios

You selected Saturday delivery on a Tuesday and want to know why it has not been dispatched yet. The system holds the order until Friday so it arrives on Saturday.
You need a parcel urgently on a Monday and placed the order on a Friday. Standard delivery would not be guaranteed to arrive Monday but highly possible if there are no queries on the order and placed well before 1pm that day.
A bank holiday falls during your delivery window. There may be a delay compared to usual times. Although we do continue work on Weekends and bank holidays, this is at a lower turn around. This also depends on Royal Mail's operating hours. Generally, we have more orders around a bank holiday which can cause delays.

What to do next

If you have already placed an order and want to change the delivery method, contact us as soon as possible. Once a parcel has been processed, we cannot change the delivery option.

Still need help?

See our Contact us article for the best way to reach our team.