Postal order royal mail
A blast from the past! Postal orders were a convenient way to send money through the post, and Royal Mail was the primary provider of this service in the UK. Here's an overview:
What was a postal order?
A postal order was a pre-paid order that allowed you to send money to someone through the post. It was a secure and convenient way to pay bills, send gifts, or make payments without the need for cash.
How did it work?
To send a postal order, you would:
- Fill out a postal order form, which was available at post offices or online.
- Pay the amount you wanted to send, plus a small fee, at a post office.
- The post office would issue a postal order with your name and address, as well as the recipient's name and address.
- The postal order would be sent to the recipient, who could then cash it at a post office or bank.
Features and benefits
Postal orders had several benefits:
- Convenience: You could send money from anywhere, at any time, without the need for cash.
- Security: Postal orders were a secure way to send money, as they were backed by the Royal Mail and could be tracked.
- Flexibility: You could send postal orders to anyone, anywhere in the world.
- No need for bank accounts: You didn't need a bank account to send or receive a postal order.
Decline and discontinuation
However, with the rise of electronic payment methods, such as online banking and mobile payments, the use of postal orders declined significantly. In 2018, Royal Mail announced that it would be discontinuing the postal order service, citing a significant reduction in demand.
Legacy
Although postal orders are no longer available, Royal Mail still offers other payment services, such as MoneyGram and Western Union. Additionally, many online payment platforms and banks offer secure and convenient ways to send and receive money.
In summary, postal orders were a convenient and secure way to send money through the post, but with the advent of electronic payment methods, they have largely become a relic of the past.