A guide to Royal Mail Candidate Mail and EL1 Banding

Royal Mail Candidate Mail is a scheme that provides a free mail out of election materials for candidates standing in UK Parliamentary General or by-elections and devolved parliamentary elections, including the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. Solopress supports candidates and agents by producing compliant print and preparing it in line with Royal Mail requirements, helping campaigns reduce the risk of delays, errors and unnecessary rework.

We have supported hundreds of election campaigns with high-quality, compliant print. This guide sets out what is required at each stage of the process, from early planning through to Royal Mail handover, and explains how to order your materials with Solopress in a way that aligns with those requirements.

Royal Mail administers the Candidate Mail scheme and oversees artwork approval, documentation and delivery. The information below is intended to help candidates and agents understand how the process works in practice and how Solopress fits into it. For detailed or definitive rules on eligibility and compliance, you should always follow official guidance from the Electoral Commission and Royal Mail.

What is Candidate Mail?

Candidate Mail is a Royal Mail service that allows eligible candidates to send one freepost election communication to every elector, or every household in the case of unaddressed mail. The scheme forms part of the statutory freepost election address and operates under Royal Mail’s Candidate Mail Terms and Conditions and relevant electoral legislation.

All material sent under the scheme must relate solely to the election concerned, comply with electoral law and meet Royal Mail’s technical standards for size, weight, presentation and documentation. Only mail that has been checked, approved and presented correctly will be accepted and delivered by Royal Mail.

Who can use Candidate Mail

Candidate Mail is available to candidates standing in:

• UK Parliamentary General Elections

• UK Parliamentary by-elections

• Scottish Parliament elections

• Senedd (Welsh Parliament) elections

Eligibility is determined by Royal Mail and applies only to the election types listed above.

Who cannot use Candidate Mail

Candidate Mail is not available for the following election types:

• District, borough, county or unitary council elections

• London borough council elections

• Metropolitan borough elections

• Most directly elected mayoral elections

• Parish and town council elections

Candidates standing in these elections must plan to use paid delivery services, such as Royal Mail’s addressed or unaddressed products, or Solopress Door-to-Door Leaflet Distribution, where print and delivery can be arranged in one east transaction.

Step 1: Understand your entitlement

Eligible candidates may be entitled to send one Candidate Mail communication during the election period, subject to Royal Mail’s conditions.

• Addressed mail is sent to named electors or their proxies.
• Unaddressed mail is sent to all delivery points within the relevant area.

The postage element is free only if Royal Mail’s rules are followed in full. Full details of eligibility, restrictions and responsibilities are set out in official guidance from the Electoral Commission and Royal Mail.

Step 2: Prepare compliant artwork

Candidate Mail artwork must meet both legal and technical requirements.

• Content must relate only to the election concerned.
• No commercial advertising or unrelated material may be included.
• A compliant imprint must be present, showing the name and address of the promoter, printer and any other required parties.
• The format must meet Royal Mail size, weight and thickness limits. Typically this means items between
  • 140 and 240mm in length
  • 90 to 164mm in width
  • Under 60g
  • No thicker than 5mm
• Material must not contain obscene, offensive or indecent content.
• All items within the same mailing must be identical in size and weight.
• Where required, the words “Election Communication” must appear clearly on the front of the item in a font size of at least 10 point.

Solopress provides templates for common election leaflet sizes and can advise on imprint placement and layout. Print files produced by Solopress meet Royal Mail’s technical requirements once artwork has been formally approved.

Step 3: Obtain artwork approval from Royal Mail

Royal Mail requires all Candidate Mail artwork to be checked and approved before printing. This is a mandatory condition of the scheme.

Artwork proofs and basic details are submitted to the Royal Mail Artwork Checking Team by email or post. Once approved, Royal Mail will issue:

• A unique artwork checking code
• An electronic EL1e Certificate of Posting form
• Contact details for the relevant Drop Off Point Manager
• Instructions for booking a handover slot

You should not proceed to print before receiving this approval. If changes are required after printing, reprint costs remain the responsibility of the candidate or campaign.

Step 4: Complete the EL1e Certificate of Posting

The EL1e form confirms the details of your intended mailing and must be completed and submitted before handover to Royal Mail.

You will need to provide:

• The artwork checking code
• The constituency or electoral area
• Candidate name and party or independent status
• The mailing type, including whether it is addressed or unaddressed
• The exact number of items to be handed over
• A preferred handover date

Royal Mail will not accept incomplete forms, so this should be completed as soon as it is issued.

Step 5: Order and print with Solopress

Once artwork approval and EL1e documentation are in place, you can order your print from Solopress.

• Visit solopress.com and select appropriate election flyers or leaflets that meet Candidate Mail specifications.
• Upload the Royal Mail approved artwork during checkout.
• In the EL1 election banding option, select banding for election mailing only if you hold a valid EL1e certificate.
• Choose paper stock and finishes suited to your campaign and budget.
• Ensure delivery dates allow sufficient time for Royal Mail handover.

When EL1 banding is selected, Solopress prepares your print in line with Royal Mail presentation rules, including bundling in quantities of 100 and packing boxes under 10 kg. All uploaded artwork is checked by Solopress production staff before printing.

If you need assistance, our election print account managers can provide guidance at [email protected] and [email protected].

Step 6: Prepare mail for Royal Mail handover

Royal Mail applies strict rules to how Candidate Mail must be presented.

• Addressed items must show the elector’s name, full address and postcode.
• All Candidate Mail must clearly display “Election Communication” where required.
• Addressed mail must be prepared using Electionsort or Streetsort, depending on the presentation method agreed with Royal Mail.
• Unaddressed mail must be bundled in approved quantities.
• All bundles and containers must be labelled in line with Royal Mail instructions.

Preparation details are supplied by Royal Mail as part of the artwork approval process and should be followed precisely.

Step 7: Book and complete handover with Royal Mail

The Drop Off Point Manager will agree a date and time for handover. Make your booking as soon as artwork approval and EL1e documentation are complete, as capacity is limited.

On the agreed date:

• Deliver the prepared mail to the specified Royal Mail Drop Off Point.
• Ensure EL1e documentation has already been submitted.
• Royal Mail will verify the mailing against the approved artwork and paperwork.
• Once accepted, Royal Mail issues a receipt and schedules delivery.

Final notes 

Candidate Mail is a valuable way to reach voters at scale without paying postage, but it requires careful planning, accurate administration and strict compliance with Royal Mail rules. This guide is intended to help you prepare print correctly and understand how Solopress supports that process. Ultimate responsibility for eligibility, approval and posting rests with Royal Mail and the candidate, in line with the scheme’s terms and electoral law.

Our team is here to help you choose the right formats, plan production and meet campaign deadlines with confidence. For personal assistance, contact 01702 460047 or email [email protected]