POST Office branches around the UK will remain open after Boris Johnson deemed them to be an "essential service".

It comes after the Prime Minister said yesterday that Brits will only be able to go to supermarkets, pharmacists, pet shops, hardware stores, and newsagents in an unprecedented high street shutdown.

There are around 11,500 Post Office branches around the UK, the majority of which are run independently or on a franchise arrangement.

The Post Office has confirmed that the vast majority will remain open as normal, with only temporary closures due to coronavirus-related staff sickness.

Opening times have always varied by branch, with no set hours across the network.

If you pop down to your local Post Office and find it's closed, there will likely be a poster in the window advertising where your nearest branch is instead.

As well as being used to send letters and parcels, you can also use your Post Office to access your high street bank account and make withdrawals, deposits, balance enquiries and more.

Post is still being collected and delivered, according to Royal Mail.

To minimise risk, workers will have to stay two metres apart with only one person in a Royal Mail delivery vehicle at any one time.

To avoid spreading germs on handheld signature devices, postmen and postwomen will instead log the name of the person accepting the item, and sign on their behalf.

Having knocked on the door, parcels will be placed on the doorstep with Royal Mail staff then stepping aside to a safe distance while households retrieve their item.

The price of a first class stamp yesterday rose by 6p to 76p.

While the cost of a second class stamp went up by 4p to 65p.