UK households issued Royal Mail change from tomorrow affecting millions

A significant overhaul of Royal Mail deliveries is set to commence from tomorrow (Monday, July 28), marking a substantial transformation in the service. From Monday, July 28, second-class letters will no longer be delivered on Saturdays but instead on alternate weekends.

Ofcom has indicated that changes to the postal service are necessary due to the decline in letter sending each year, which results in stamp prices escalating as the cost of delivering letters increases. Consequently, second-class letters will now be delivered on either Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday and Thursday, alternating every two weeks, reports Birmingham Live.

“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,” stated Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications.

Black added: “The company now has to play its part and implement this effectively.”

Meanwhile, International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent company of Royal Mail, welcomed Ofcom’s announcement as “good news for customers across the UK”, asserting that it would bolster a “reliable, efficient and financially sustainable Universal Service”.

IDS chief executive Martin Seidenberg remarked that the adjustments mirror the “realities of how customers send and receive mail today”. However, Citizens Advice has expressed concern, criticising Royal Mail for its “woeful track record of failing to meet delivery targets, all the while ramping up postage costs”.

Tom MacInnes, Citizens Advice director of policy, expressed disappointment with Ofcom, stating the regulator had “missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change”.

“Pushing ahead with plans to slash services and relax delivery targets in the name of savings won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable or improve standards,” he remarked.

The UK Greeting Card Association also voiced concerns over the decision, highlighting fears that “concerned that a reduction in the second-class service, would lead to a reliance on uncapped, unregulated first-class mail that is increasingly unaffordable for businesses and consumers alike”.

The Liberal Democrats have described Ofcom’s announcement as a “deeply worrying decision that could leave countless people who rely on these deliveries in the lurch”.

“People need to know that their post will arrive on time so they can go about their lives, and this move flies right in the face of that,” commented Sarah Olney, the party’s business spokesperson.