Many households will see their mail delayed.
Royal Mail has shared a major service update for all postcodes across the UK. The delivery firm aims to post letters and parcels to homes and businesses six days a week.
However, the company has come under fire for late deliveries amid rising stamp prices next week. Now, Royal Mail has shared an urgent update to anyone expecting post this weekend.
On Friday, April 3, there will be no deliveries or collections made by Royal Mail as it is Good Friday. In Scotland, however, services are operating as normal.
Disruption is set to continue across Easter weekend. Royal Mail’s usual weekend delivery and collection services will run on Saturday, April 4.
Its Customer Service Points will also be open so people can collect missed items. On Sunday, April 5, only Sunday parcel deliveries are expected to take place. On Easter Monday, there will be no deliveries or collections of mail.
This week, Royal Mail has shared disruption alerts for postcodes across the UK due to delays in certain delivery offices. Royal Mail said: “We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week.
“In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors.
“In those cases, we will rotate deliveries to minimise the delay to individual customers. We also provide targeted support to those offices to address their challenges and restore our service to the high standard our customers would normally receive.”
It added: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.” The latest delays have affected Birmingham, Grimsby, Lichfield, New Ferry, Pontyclun and Yate.
The delays come amid criticism over Royal Mail’s late deliveries. Just last week, its owner Daniel Kretinsky told MPs: “Of course I am deeply sorry for any letters that arrive late.”
However, he denied Royal Mail’s track record for letters arriving late was deteriorating. Speaking to the Commons Business select committee, Mr Kretinsky said: “It is not perfect, but it is not catastrophic.”
Next week, customers are facing with a stamp increase as First Class stamps will go to £1.80 and Second Class to 91p. The price of a First Class stamp in 2020 was 76p.
Royal Mail said the increases are down to the rising cost of delivery as letter volumes fell and the number of addresses increased.
Royal Mail’s Easter schedule
Friday, April 3 (Good Friday)
- There will be no deliveries or collections of mail except in Scotland, where services are operating as normal.
Saturday, April 4
- Royal Mail’s usual weekend delivery and collection services are expected to take place Customer Service Points are open.
Sunday, April 5 (Easter Sunday)
- Sunday parcel deliveries are expected.
Monday, April 6 (Easter Monday)
- There will be no deliveries or collections of mail.
