How to Address Someone in a Letter

Informal letters: writing to people you know

When you are writing to a friend, family member or someone you know well, the rules around addressing them are fairly relaxed. The most common way to open an informal letter is with "Dear" followed by their first name.

Some people prefer to drop "Dear" altogether, particularly if the letter has a casual tone. Starting with just the person's name, or even "Hi" or "Hello" before it, works perfectly well in informal correspondence. The choice depends on your relationship and what feels natural.

If you are writing to a business contact you have known for years and consider a friend, you can usually address them informally. However, if there is any doubt about the nature of your relationship, it may be safer to lean towards a more formal approach.

Ending an informal letter comes down to personal choice, though context matters too. Consider what feels appropriate given your relationship and the recipient's own preferences. Common sign offs include:

• Best wishes
• Kind regards
• Regards
• All the best
• Take care
• With love
• Lots of love

For very close friends and family, "Love" or "Lots of love" followed by your first name is common. For acquaintances or people you know less well, "Best wishes" or "Kind regards" strikes a warmer tone without being overly familiar.

Some people simply sign their name at the bottom without any closing phrase at all. This is perfectly acceptable in casual correspondence, particularly if the letter is short or the relationship is close enough that formality would feel odd.

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Formal letters: addressing someone you do not know personally

When writing a formal letter, the way you address the recipient matters more. Getting it right shows respect and professionalism. Getting it wrong can create an awkward first impression.

If you know the name of the person you are writing to, use "Dear" followed by their title and surname. In the UK, "Ms" is widely used for women when you do not know their marital status or when they prefer it.

For professional titles, use the most relevant or senior title where someone holds more than one. Addressing a doctor or professor correctly shows you have taken care over your correspondence. If someone holds a specific title such as Councillor, Reverend or Captain, it is polite to use it.

When you do not know the person's name, the traditional approach is to open with "Dear Sir or Madam". This remains acceptable in formal correspondence, though many organisations now prefer gender neutral alternatives. You might address the role directly, such as "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Customer Services Team", which avoids making assumptions about the recipient.

If you are writing to a company or department rather than a specific individual, you can address the letter to the team or department directly. Use any standard titles the organisation provides on their website or correspondence.

For letters to members of the royal family or titled nobility, specific conventions apply. Debrett's provides detailed guidance on these forms of address, as do many official websites.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How to close a formal letter

The closing of a formal letter in the UK follows a convention that has been observed for many years. If you opened with the person's name, close with "Yours sincerely". If you opened with "Dear Sir or Madam" because you did not know their name, close with "Yours faithfully".

While some modern business communication has become less rigid, sticking to this convention is unlikely to cause offence and demonstrates attention to detail.

Below your closing phrase, leave space for your signature if you are posting the letter, then type or print your full name. In professional contexts, you may also include your job title and contact details beneath your name.

Other formal closings that sit between strictly formal and informal include:

• Kind regards
• With best regards
• Yours truly

These can work well for business correspondence where you want to maintain professionalism without being stiff. "Kind regards" in particular has become widely used in UK business letters and emails alike.

Email correspondence has shifted some of these conventions. Salutations tend to be slightly less formal in emails, and closings like "Best regards" or simply "Best" have become commonplace even in professional settings. The principles remain similar, but the tone is often a step more relaxed than in posted letters.

Addressing the envelope and letter heading

The address on the envelope and at the top of a formal letter should include the recipient's title and name where known.

If you are writing to someone at a company, include the company name and their job title if you know it. This helps ensure the letter reaches the right person, particularly in larger organisations.

For formal letters, it is generally accepted practice to include your own address in the top right corner of the letter, with the date beneath it. The recipient's address then goes on the left, below your details and the date. This layout makes it easy for the recipient to reply and provides a clear record of when the letter was sent. Practices can vary between organisations, so follow any specific guidance you have been given.

When writing to government departments, councils or public bodies, you can usually find the correct postal address on their official website. For UK government departments, GOV.UK provides contact details and guidance on how to get in touch.

When sending letters internationally from the UK, include the destination country on its own line at the bottom of the address, written in capital letters. The Royal Mail website provides guidance on formatting international addresses correctly.

If you are unsure how to address someone with a specific title, such as a member of the clergy, a judge or a member of the armed forces, Debrett's provides detailed guidance on forms of address for various positions and ranks. Many professional bodies and organisations also publish guidance on their preferred forms of address.

The goal when addressing someone in a letter is to show appropriate respect while making your communication clear. Striking the right balance between formality and warmth depends on your purpose and your relationship with the recipient. When in doubt, a slightly more formal approach will rarely cause offence, whereas being overly casual with someone you do not know well may not create the impression you intend.

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