Best Christmas jobs 2026: John Lewis and Royal Mail hire seasonal workers - but who pays the most?

The job market is tough but many businesses are gearing up for the festive season, which gives fresh opportunities for work if you're looking.

Major brands John Lewis and Waitrose are creating more than 10,400 seasonal roles, Royal Mail is also hiring more than 20,000 workers, and Boots is taking on another 6,000 roles.

Christmas is a busy time for many firms with retailers and delivery companies among those looking for extra staff to help manage the busiest shopping period of the year.

For people looking for a new job or some extra income, it could be a great opportunity.

Other employers, including supermarkets also advertise temporary Christmas jobs.

John Lewis and Waitrose Christmas jobs

The John Lewis Partnership has announced it's recruiting more than 10,400 seasonal workers for the Christmas period.

Around 6,000 roles will be available across Waitrose shops, while approximately 2,600 jobs will be based in John Lewis shops. A further 1,800 roles will be available across the group’s distribution centres and supply chain.

The partnership says the recruitment drive will offer opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds, including young people looking to gain experience.

Seasonal roles are expected to be advertised from the end of September through to November.

Applicants can register for job alerts and check vacancies through the John Lewis and Waitrose Christmas jobs page.

What are the best paying Christmas jobs?

Many retailers tend to pay competitive wages to attract workers.

The John Lewis Partnership says seasonal pay will start at £13 an hour nationally and £14.55 an hour in London.

This rises to £13.25 an hour nationally after 30 days and £14.80 an hour in London after 30 days.

The partnership says flexible and blended working options will be available, depending on the role.

The announcement also highlights training and opportunities for seasonal workers to build experience that could support a longer-term career with the business.

Meanwhile, the Royal Mail is looking for posties, delivery drivers, mail sorters, as well as customer service assistants.

There are a mix of part-time as well as full time positions available.

For a delivery postie with driving, you could expect an hourly rate of around £13.68 based on job listings.

Or a seasonal mail sorter get a rate of around £15.14 an hour on a late shift up to 10pm, while working through the night until 6am pays around £16.44 based on listings.

Boots Christmas jobs 2026

Boots has now launched its Christmas recruitment drive and is looking to fill around 6,000 seasonal roles across the UK ahead of the festive rush.

The vacancies are spread across the retailer's network of more than 1,800 stores, as well as its warehouses and customer support centre.

You can apply for positions including customer advisors, operations assistants, warehouse operatives and picker packers.

The hourly rate for customer advisor is advertised at £13.02 and up to £15.10 across selected locations within London.

Search and apply for jobs here.

When should you apply for a Christmas job?

It is worth starting your search in September, even if you do not want to begin work until November or December.

Some employers advertise early, while others release vacancies closer to the Christmas trading period.

Applying early may give you more choice over location and working hours

However, new vacancies can continue to appear later in the season, so it is worth checking careers pages regularly.

Which retailers are hiring for Christmas 2026?

You can expect extra roles from retailers, including supermarkets and smaller shops to hire extra assistants and customer advisers, as well as stockroom and fulfilment assistants and warehouse and distribution staff.

Delivery drivers and mail sorters, customer service workers and hospitality and restaurant staff are also also in demand.

Some jobs are full-time, while others offer part-time, evening or weekend shifts. The hours and contract length depend on the employer and the role.

You can usually find something that will fit in with your availability whether that's around the school run or an existing part-time role.