Royal Mail’s struggle to meet delivery targets for first class post has been exposed, with all 124 postcode areas in the UK falling short of the 90% next-day delivery goal. Areas such as Paisley, Blackburn, Burnley, Hull, Teesside, Stockport, Oxford, Ilford, Croydon, Newport, and Maidstone are among the most affected, seeing less than 70% of first class post delivered on time.
Despite a significant increase in the price of a first class stamp to £1.80, Royal Mail faced a record £21 million fine from Ofcom for failing to meet delivery targets. The company’s performance for first class post in 2024-25 stood at 77%, while second class post was delivered on time 92.5% of the time.
Royal Mail has committed to improving its delivery targets, investing £500 million to enhance services. Plans include discontinuing Saturday deliveries for second class mail and implementing changes to achieve faster and more reliable delivery. The company aims to reach an 85% next-day delivery rate for first class post within nine months, ultimately hitting the 90% target within a year. Moreover, Royal Mail is striving to deliver 93% of second-class letters within three days and achieve a 95% delivery rate by May next year.
Acknowledging past shortcomings, a Royal Mail spokesperson emphasized the ongoing efforts to enhance service quality and reliability. Structural reforms agreed upon with Ofcom are set to be implemented nationwide by the end of the year, aiming to establish a more efficient and sustainable postal service for customers across the UK.