Quick Read
- Royal Mail confirmed widespread service delays affecting over 100 UK postcodes.
- Postal staff claim parcels are consistently prioritized over letters, with some letters sitting for weeks.
- Delays are causing missed hospital appointments, school certificates, and bank statements for customers.
- Royal Mail attributes delays to January storms and higher staff illness rates.
- The Communication Workers Union describes Royal Mail as ‘a company in crisis’ due to resource strain.
LONDON (Azat TV) – Royal Mail is grappling with widespread service delays affecting more than 100 postcodes across the United Kingdom, as postal staff from numerous delivery offices claim that parcels are being consistently prioritized over letters, leading to critical disruptions for customers.
The company acknowledged on Monday that adverse weather conditions, including storms Goretti, Ingrid, and Chandra in January, alongside higher-than-usual staff illness rates, have caused ‘short-term disruption to certain routes.’ However, an investigation by BBC Your Voice, based on testimonies from over 20 postal workers, suggests a more systemic issue of resource strain and a strategic focus on parcel delivery.
Royal Mail Delays: Widespread Service Disruption
Royal Mail has identified 38 delivery offices, covering 105 postcodes, as being most impacted by slower service. These include major hubs and smaller local offices from Aberdare to Sunderland. Despite the company’s legal obligation to deliver letters six days a week, postal workers report that daily rounds are being missed, with some letters reportedly sitting in depots for weeks.
Customers across the UK have voiced significant frustration. Juliet from Crawley reported receiving important NHS appointment letters after the scheduled date, while Bernard from Inkberrow described the situation as a ‘complete and expensive mess’ due to first-class letters and appointments taking several days to arrive. Other customers have reported missing school certificates and crucial bank statements, highlighting the tangible impact of these delays on daily life.
Staff Accusations: Parcels Prioritized Over Letters
The core of the issue, according to postal staff, is a deliberate prioritization of parcels over letters. Nineteen out of 20 postal workers interviewed by the BBC confirmed this practice, stating that parcels, particularly tracked ones, are given precedence because ‘that’s where the money is for the company.’ One postman, identified as Tony, shared images of full racks of mail left untouched for weeks, including first-class letters that should have been delivered promptly.
Staff attribute this to a severe lack of resources. Several posties highlighted insufficient vans, forcing them to share and often leading to exclusive parcel delivery on a given day. Another worker painted a stark picture, comparing their role to an Amazon driver with hundreds of parcels, compounded by hundreds more letter deliveries, deeming it ‘impossible’ to manage both effectively. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has echoed these concerns, describing Royal Mail as ‘a company in crisis.’
Moreover, staff reported that overtime has been severely restricted since January, exacerbating the staffing shortage. One postman, referred to as Bob, explicitly stated, ‘There’s not enough staff,’ explaining that while Christmas brings temporary hires, the post-holiday period sees a reduction, leaving daily mail rounds uncovered. Royal Mail stated that a reduction in overtime after Christmas is expected, but performance is monitored daily.
Regulatory Pressure and Union Concerns
The postal regulator Ofcom has previously fined Royal Mail £37 million for poor letter delivery performance and has affirmed its commitment to ‘continue to hold the company to account.’ Last year, Ofcom also granted Royal Mail approval to discontinue second-class letter deliveries on Saturdays and shift to an every-other-weekday service, a move that is currently subject to a month-long dispute resolution process with the CWU regarding its impact on the workforce.
The CWU, which agreed to the company’s acquisition by a Czech billionaire’s ED Group last April, initially hoped the new owners would prioritize employees and customers. However, Craig Anderson of the CWU now states, ‘I’m not confident that the service is going to improve going forward, it certainly hasn’t since Christmas.’
Customer Impact and Royal Mail’s Response
While many customers have experienced significant disruptions, a Royal Mail spokesperson maintains that the ‘vast majority of mail is delivered as planned.’ The company acknowledged the frustration caused by delays and stated its aim is to deliver both letters and parcels on time. They explained that parcels constitute a larger proportion of deliveries and occupy more physical space, potentially creating health and safety risks in depots if not cleared quickly. Royal Mail affirmed it works to resolve delays by providing extra support and reviewing performance daily.
Despite these assurances, the anecdotal evidence from both customers and internal staff paints a picture of a service under immense strain, where the legal obligation to deliver letters daily is frequently unmet in practice.
The ongoing struggle between Royal Mail’s operational pressures and its public service obligations suggests that without significant investment in staffing and resources, or a fundamental re-evaluation of its delivery model, widespread delays will likely continue to impact UK households and businesses.