How do I stop junk post and marketing mail?

The four separate opt-outs that between them cut most UK junk mail, including the one on the electoral register that most people never notice.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 45 min
Read: 3 min

Short answer

Register with the Mailing Preference Service for addressed marketing, opt out of Royal Mail's unaddressed door-to-door leaflets, opt out of the open electoral register with your council, and use the Telephone Preference Service for calls. Each covers a different category, so all four are needed.

Junk post arrives through several different routes, and each has its own opt-out. Doing one and wondering why the post keeps coming is the usual experience.

Step by step

Register with the Mailing Preference Service.It is free and covers addressed direct marketing from members of the industry body. It takes up to about four months to take full effect because mailings are prepared in advance.
Opt out of Royal Mail's door-to-door service.That covers unaddressed leaflets delivered with the post. Royal Mail publishes an opt-out form and email address; the opt-out lasts two years and has to be renewed.
Opt out of the open electoral register.There are two versions of the register. The full one is used for elections and credit checks; the open one is sold to anyone, including marketers. Opting out of the open version is free, does not affect your right to vote or your credit file, and is done through your local council.
Register with the Telephone Preference Service for calls.Free, legally enforceable for UK marketing calls, and it also has a version for mobile. It does not stop calls from abroad or outright scams, which need blocking and reporting instead.
Deal with mail addressed to a previous occupant.Write 'not at this address' on the envelope and put it back in a post box unopened. Never bin it — post in someone else's name is a route to identity fraud.
Unsubscribe from companies you have dealt with.The preference services do not cover companies you have an existing relationship with. Those need an individual opt-out, which they must honour, and which is usually in the letter itself.
Tick the boxes at the point of signing up.Most future junk is generated at the moment you buy something or enter a competition. This is where it is cheapest to prevent.
Complain if it continues.Marketing that continues after an opt-out is a breach of UK rules. Complain to the company, then to the Information Commissioner's Office, which enforces them.

Tips

Set a calendar reminder for the Royal Mail opt-out, which lapses after two years without notice.
The open electoral register opt-out is the one that quietly reduces junk for years, because it is where a lot of address data originates.
Charity mailings often come from lists shared between charities. Ask each one to stop specifically, and to remove you from any shared list.

Common mistakes

Binning post addressed to a previous occupant — It commonly contains enough information to open accounts in that name. Returning it unopened is both correct and the fastest way to stop it.
Expecting the Mailing Preference Service to stop everything — It does not cover unaddressed leaflets, companies you already deal with, or overseas senders. That is why the separate opt-outs exist.

If it doesn't work

Junk continues months after registering

Cause: Mailings prepared before the registration, or senders not covered — Fix: Allow four months, then contact the sender directly. If they are a UK company ignoring an opt-out, complain to the ICO.

Leaflets still delivered with the post

Cause: The door-to-door opt-out has lapsed or was never made — Fix: Re-submit it to Royal Mail and diarise the renewal. Leaflets pushed through by hand by local businesses are not covered by it at all.

Post for someone who has died

Cause: Address data still active on many lists — Fix: Use the free bereavement register services, which notify many organisations at once, alongside telling the specific companies.

Questions people ask

Does opting out of the open register affect my credit rating?

No. Lenders use the full register, which you remain on. The open register is the version sold commercially, and opting out of it has no effect on credit checks or voting.

Can I refuse leaflets pushed through by local businesses?

A polite notice on the letterbox helps, but there is no formal opt-out for hand-delivered material. Royal Mail's scheme only covers what their posties deliver.