Post Office’s partnership with Western Union: how it works?

If you want to send money internationally from the UK, one of the options available is Western Union (WU). But did you know that the money transfer service has partnership with the UK Post Office?

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at the Western Union and Post Office partnership. This includes how you can use the Post Office website and branches to access WU services, plus details of fees and exchange rates.

And if you’re looking for an alternative way to make international transfers, check out the financial services provider Wise. You can send money worldwide with Wise for low fees and fair exchange rates, all in just a few clicks.

Learn more about Wise

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

Post Office partnership with Western Union

The Post Office and Western Union have had a partnership in place for some time. But so far, it’s only involved online money transfers. You could visit the Post Office website to send money online with Western Union.

But in 2022, the two companies announced an expansion of this partnership. It was revealed that thousands of physical Post Office locations throughout the UK would start offering a new in-branch service for WU money transfers.¹

This means that as a customer, you’ll have a choice of ways to make an international transfer with Western Union.

Which Post Office locations work with Western Union?

According to the Post Office, there are around 2,700 locations² offering in-branch Western Union services. Obviously that’s too many to list here, but you can easily find your nearest using the branch finder tool.

To make sure your local branch offers the service you need, make sure you check the box for ‘Western Union’ under the branch services drop-down menu.

How to make a money transfer from the Post Office using Western Union?

To make your first transfer, you’ll first need to decide whether you want to pop into a local Post Office branch or do the whole thing online. Take a look below for a step-by-step guide for each option.

To send money with Western Union at Post Office locations, you’ll need to do the following:²

1. Find your local branch
2. Visit in person with your ID - you can use a passport, driving licence, EU/EEA national identity card or UK Biometric Residence Permit
3. At the counter, provide your details or fill in a form - if you’ve not used Western Union before. If you’re an existing WU customer, you should find it quicker to set up your transfer as your details will already be available.
4. Provide the details for your transfer, including the recipient’s information, the amount and currency, and how the money will be received or collected.
5. Pay for your transfer with cash or a debit card
6. Once the transfer is set up, you’ll receive a reference number (MTCN) to give to the recipient. They’ll need this in order to collect their money in cash.

To send money via Western Union using the Post Office website, follow these steps:

1. Go to the international money transfer page of the Post Office website
2. Enter the details of your transfer - this includes the amount, destination country, payment and delivery method. You’ll see the fee and indicative exchange rate.
3. Click ‘Get Started’ to be taken through to the Western Union partner page
4. Login or create an account
5. Enter the recipient details and your payment information - such as bank details or your debit card number.
6. You’ll get a MTCN number for tracking, and for the recipient to use to collect cash in person.

The fees and rates for sending money with Western Union through the Post Office

The transfer fee to use the Post Office for a Western Union transfer varies depending on the details of your transfer. For example, the destination, currency and your chosen payment/delivery methods.

But if you want to send money for cash pickup, there’s a flat fixed fee of £1.90.³

Along with the upfront fee, it’s also a good idea to take a close look at the exchange rate you’re offered.

This transfer service uses Western Union’s exchange rates, which are likely to include a margin on top of what is known as the mid-market rate.³ This can mean your recipient gets less on the other side, as more is lost in currency conversion.

If you want a better deal on exchange rates, consider sending money with Wise instead. It only ever uses mid-market rates, with no margins, mark-ups or hidden fees. There’s just a small transparent fee, which you’ll see upfront.

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

And that’s pretty much it - everything you need to know about the Post Office and Western Union money transfer service.

If you prefer to use a name you know, while still taking advantage of WU’s global reach, this could be a good option for you. Just make sure to compare those all-important exchange rates before sending, as there could be a better deal out there.

Find out more about sending money internationally with our guide to the best money transfer apps.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 31-May-2023