Full list of 121 postcodes hit by major Royal Mail delays due to ‘high levels of sickness’

ROYAL Mail has warned that 121 postcodes are being hit by serious delivery delays due to high levels of sickness.

The disruption is concentrated in the West Midlands, where more than 60 areas have seen little or no post delivered, leaving residents frustrated.

Royal Mail said the problems are linked to staffing shortages and insists action is being taken to restore services.

In a statement, 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.

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“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. We will regularly update customers on the offices most impacted here:”

There have been reports of ongoing problems in Shifnal, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Telford and Newport, with significant numbers of residents saying they have not received any mail since Christmas.

The issue has also reached Parliament.

Shaun Davies, MP for Telford, raised the matter in the House of Commons, relaying claims from postal workers.

He told fellow MPs: “Posties have contacted me privately to tell me that they have been ordered not to deliver post and to prioritise parcels.”

The latest disruption follows a long history of problems at Royal Mail.

In recent years the company has faced repeated criticism over missed delivery targets, strike action, staff shortages and growing backlogs, particularly during peak periods such as Christmas.

Industrial action by postal workers in 2022 and 2023 caused widespread delays across the UK, while Ofcom has previously fined Royal Mail for failing to meet its legal obligations to deliver first and second class mail on time.

The shift towards parcels, driven by online shopping, has also put extra strain on delivery offices and staff.