More letters and parcels have been hit by Royal Mail delays.
Royal Mail has issued yet another delivery disruption update for postcodes right across the UK. The delivery firm has faced criticism over its late deliveries amid the rising cost of stamps.
Just this week its billionaire 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.
During his grilling by the Commons Business select committee, Mr Kretinsky said: “It is not perfect, but it is not catastrophic.”
The company was handed a £21million fine last October for missing First and Second Class delivery targets in its last financial year.
Just 77% of First Class mail and 92.5% of Second Class were delivered on time in its 2024-25 financial year – short of its respective 93% and 98.5% targets.
It comes as the price of First Class stamps will go to £1.80 and Second Class stamps to 91p, from April 6. A First Class stamp in 2020 was 76p.
As of Thursday, March 26, delays have hit many areas of the UK including Birmingham, Luton and Whitechapel. Currently, 21 delivery offices are experiencing delays, which is having a knock-on effect on 44 postcode areas.
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.
“We’re sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.”
In the past 24 hours, Royal Mail’s road and air network operated to schedule. But, there was an issue at Manchester Mail Centre.
Some mail posted in the BL, M, OL and SK postcode areas were for delivery today in other parts of the UK.
Postcodes facing delays today
- Birmingham East DO (B8-B10)
- Bridge of Weir DO (PA11, PA13)
- Burslem DO (ST6)
- Cranleigh DO (GU6)
- Eastwood DO (NG16)
- Huntingdon DO (PE26-PE29)
- Ilfracombe DO (EX34)
- Lochgelly DO (KY5)
- Loughborough DO (LE11, LE12)
- Luton DO (LU1-LU4)
- Newcastle Under Lyme DO (ST5, ST55)
- Orton Southgate DO (PE2, PE7-PE9)
- Pontefract DO (WF7-WF9, WF11)
- Prenton DO (CH43)
- Quorn SUDO (LE12)
- Redfern Park DO (B11, B12, B25-B27)
- Shepshed DO (LE12)
- Sutton in Ashfield DO (NG17)
- Syston SPDO (LE7)
- Whitechapel DO (E1, E1W, E98)
- Yate DO (BS37)
