Full list of areas where Christmas deliveries are disrupted by Covid absences

The Post Office is experiencing delays in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Next Monday is expected to be the busiest day of the year for sending off Christmas cards and according to the Post Office.

In 2019, post offices experienced more than double their regular trading activity in the two weeks before Christmas, and the company has predicted Britons will behave similarly this year.

So where are the delays? Here’s everything you need to know.

Why are there delays?

Royal Mail is suffering from a high number of staff absences with less than two weeks to go until Christmas as the Omicron coronavirus variant makes its presence known in the UK.

Nearly two dozen delivery offices in locations across the country were operating at a reduced capacity on Wednesday, which Royal Mail attributed to factors including “high levels” of people being off sick and in Covid-related self-isolation.

The Post Office said: “Deliveries are operating as normal across most of the country today.

“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 Covid-related self isolation, 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.

Where are the delays?

The Post Office says: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. We will regularly update customers on the offices most impacted here:

• Belfast West DO (BT10 – BT12 and BT17)
• Belper DO (DE56)
• Burnham On Crouch DO (CM0 8)
• Chelmsford DO (CM1 to CM3)
• Congleton DO (CW4 and CW12)
• Cricklewood DO (NW2)
• Eccles DO (M30)
• Farnborough DO (GU14)
• Finsbury Park DO (N4 and N15)
• Havant DO (PO9-10)
• Hornsey DO (N8)
• Longton DO (ST3 and ST11)
• New Ferry DO (CH32, CH62 and CH63)
• Northwich DO (CW8 to CW9)
• Pontypridd DO (CF37, CF38 and CF46)
• Rayleigh DO (SS6)
• Shrewsbury DO (SY1 to SY5)
• South Croydon DO (CR2)
• St Helens DO (WA9 to WA11)
• Stocksbridge (S36)
• Upminster DO (RM14)
• Upton DO (CH30 and CH49)
• Warrington DO (WA1 to WA2 and WA4 to WA5)
• Willesden DO (NW10 and NW26).”

Are there delays to processing as well?

The Post Office also reported that the “mail centres below reported not all mail was processed or despatched to schedule over the past 24 hours, and as a result may be delivered slightly later than expected”.

• Exeter Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the EX and TQ postcode areas.
• Chelmsford Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the CM, CO and SS postcode areas.
• Chester Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the CH, LL and SY postcode areas.
• Home Counties North Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the AL, EN, HP, LU, SG and WD postcode areas.
• Norwich Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the IP and NR postcode areas.
• Southampton Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the PO, SO and SP postcode areas.
• South Midlands Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the CV, LE, MK and NN postcode areas.
• Swindon Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in other parts of the UK for delivery today in the OX, RG and SN postcode areas.
• Manchester Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in in the BL, M, OL and SK postcode areas for delivery today in other parts of the UK.
• Nottingham Mail Centre: Some mail posted yesterday in in the DE and NG postcode areas for delivery today in other parts of the UK.

What are the UK Christmas delivery dates for the Post Office?

Friday 17 December

• Royal Mail Bulk Mail Economy

Saturday 18 December

• 2nd Class
• 2nd Class Signed For
• Royal Mail 48

Tuesday 21 December

• 1st Class
• 1st Class Signed For
• Royal Mail 24
• Royal Mail Tracked 48

Wednesday 22 December

Thursday 23 December

• Special Delivery Guaranteed