Royal Fail! Postal workers are delivering less than 80 per cent of first-class post on time

Royal Mail has missed it targets again, delivering less than 80 per cent of first-class post on time.

The company said 79.1 per cent of first-class mail arrived within one working day in the three months to June 30.

It represents another quarter in which Royal Mail has missed its delivery targets set by Ofcom.

Under the communications watchdog’s rules, 93 per cent of first-class mail must be delivered within the timeframe, excluding Christmas. Royal Mail said 93.5 per cent of first-class letters arrived within two days, a small improvement on the 91.6 figure for the same period last year.

The firm also missed its 98.5 per cent target of second-class post being delivered in three days, with a figure of 94.1 per cent.

In May, Ofcom said it was investigating the postal service for missing its delivery time targets for the year to March 2024.

The watchdog fined the company £5.6 million for failing to meet its first and second-class delivery targets in the financial year ending March 2023.

The postal service is in the process of being bought out by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky in a £3.57 billion deal.

The company said 79.1 per cent of first-class mail arrived within one working day in the three months to June 30

International Distribution Services, the parent company of Royal Mail, agreed a takeover deal by Mr Kretinsky’s EP Group in May.

But the deal is not yet completed, after the Cabinet Office launched a review into the bid.

Royal Mail said it had taken steps to improve its delivery times, including employing more permanent staff and bringing in new rules to cut down on sick days.