How to become a postal worker, mail sorter or messenger
Official title: Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers
Also called: Sorter, Messenger, Hub sorter, Head sorter, Mail sorter, Post sorter, Postal cadet, Postal clerk, Letter sorter, Parcel sorter, Postal sorter, Sorter-loader
Postal workers, mail sorters and messengers collect, receive, sort and deliver mail, documents, correspondence or messages, either between or within establishments.
Main tasks
- Collects and may x-ray mail from post boxes, receives parcels, and collects correspondence, documents and other material from individuals, offices or other establishments
- Sorts mail, parcels and other incoming and outgoing material for delivery, and maintains records of material received and despatched
- Delivers mail, parcels, correspondence and other materials to specified or agreed routes and schedules
- Completes delivery forms, collects charges, and issues receipts for the collection and delivery of registered or recorded mail and other items
How to become one
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Entrants complete short induction courses followed by a programme of Off and on-the-job training.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £31,677 a year The middle half earn £28,292 to £36,381.
- About 181,700 people work in this job now, and about 175,000 are projected by 2035. (-3.7%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a postal worker, mail sorter or messenger?
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Entrants complete short induction courses followed by a programme of Off and on-the-job training.
How much does a postal worker, mail sorter or messenger earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £31,677 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £28,292 to £36,381.
Is a postal worker, mail sorter or messenger a growing career in the UK?
Employment is projected to fall 4% by 2035, from about 181,700 to about 175,000 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a postal worker, mail sorter or messenger?
Usually not. Only 16% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03