Royal Mail: Second-class post deliveries on Saturdays to end under Ofcom decision - here's what is happening
Second-class post would no longer be delivered on Saturdays by Royal Mail under the changes allowed by Ofcom.
Royal Mail will be allowed to scrap Saturday deliveries for second-class post and switch to an alternate weekday service instead from later this month, regulator Ofcom has announced.
The regulator said that from July 28, Royal Mail will be able to axe the six-day-a-week service for second-class letters, but will maintain Monday to Saturday deliveries for first-class post.
Ofcom said it would keep the target for second-class letters to arrive within three working days despite changing deliveries to every other weekday. The changes come after a lengthy consultation and will help Royal Mail cut costs by between £250 million and £425m a year, according to Ofcom.
When will the Saturday Royal Mail changes come in?
Royal Mail is not expected to push through the overhaul to all second-class letter deliveries across the UK from this month, but will look to roll it out having already launched pilots in 37 of its 1,200 delivery offices.
The industry watchdog said reform of the so-called universal service was needed to help it “survive”, as people send far fewer letters and as the cost of stamps has been soaring.
But Grace Remmington, head of post for Consumer Scotland, said the organisation was disappointed in Ofcom’s decision, adding: “In recent years, consumers in Scotland have suffered poor reliability when sending and receiving mail, while also enduring sharp increases in the price of stamps.
“This was an opportunity to shape services to consumer needs. However, today’s decision means consumers are being asked to accept a reduction in service, including fewer delivery days for second-class mail, slower deliveries for some second-class post and lower quality of service targets for both first and second-class post.”
Ms Remmington said the quality of postal services to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles was a particular concern. “Consumer Scotland recommended targets be introduced for these areas to drive up standards, and it is a significant missed opportunity that Ofcom has not acted on this,” she said.
What Ofcom has said
Ofcom said it had also launched a review of the price of stamps amid concerns over affordability, with a consultation set to be launched next year.
The regulator said targets would be lowered for first-class post to be delivered the next day from 93 per cent to 90 per cent and second-class to be delivered within three days from 98.5 per cent to 95 per cent. But Ofcom said it was adding a new “enforceable” backstop delivery target, so that 99 per cent of mail had to be delivered no more than two days late.
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications, said: “These changes are in the best interests of consumers and businesses, as urgent reform of the postal service is necessary to give it the best chance of survival.
“But changing Royal Mail’s obligations alone won’t guarantee a better service – the company now has to play its part and implement this effectively.
“We’ll be making sure Royal Mail is clear with its customers about what’s happening, and passes the benefits of these changes on to them.”
What Royal Mail has said
Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of Royal Mail parent firm International Distribution Services (IDS), welcomed the move from Ofcom, having long urged the UK government for reform of the universal service.
He said: “It is good news for customers across the UK as it supports the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service. It follows extensive consultation with thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers send and receive mail today.”
Royal Mail fines
But the changes also follow recent hefty fines against Royal Mail for poor performance, with an investigation launched in May after it only delivered just over three-quarters of first-class post on time last year. Ofcom had already fined Royal Mail a combined £16m for missing its post delivery targets in the previous two years.
A UK government spokesperson said: “The public expects a well-run postal service, with letters arriving on time across the country without it costing the earth. With the way people use postal services having changed, it’s right the regulator has looked at this.
“We now need Royal Mail to work with unions and posties to deliver a service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of one price to send a letter anywhere in the UK.”
The change follows the recent £3.6 billion takeover of Royal Mail owner IDS by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, which completed in June after being cleared by the Government at the end of 2024.
Mr Kretinsky – named as the new chairman of Royal Mail after the deal – has pledged to stick to the Universal Service Obligation (USO) after the takeover.
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