The correspondence is arranged in two sequences: Personal and general correspondence, 1928-1963, predominantly sent to MacNeice’s home address and arranged by date; and professional correspondence, which mainly comprises original ‘BBC files’, i.e. correspondence and other papers addressed to, and kept by, Louis MacNeice at work at the British Broadcasting Corporation, 1951-1963. The distinction between personal and professional correspondence is not always clear - letters filed under personal and general correspondence may concern business matters, whilst the BBC files may include personal letters, or correspondence relating to professional matters outside the work for the BBC.

The original arrangement of the BBC files has been kept, and original file titles have been noted in the catalogue, e.g. 'Louis MacNeice. Letters from Artists from May 1955- BBC'.