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Royal Mail has been given the go ahead to scrap Saturday second-class stamp deliveries to help cut costs, the industry regulator has said. From July 28, Ofcom said that from July 28, Royal Mail will be able to axe the six-day-a-week service for second-class letters, but will maintain Monday to Saturday deliveries for first-class mail.
The changes mean second-class letters will be delivered either on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or on Tuesday and Thursday, in a two-week cycle. It said it would keep the target for second-class letters to arrive within three working days despite changing deliveries to every other weekday. The regulator said a reform to the postal service was needed as people are sending fewer letters each year, so stamp prices keep rising as the cost of delivering letters goes up.
The changes come after a lengthy consultation and will help Royal Mail cut costs by between £250 million and £425 million a year, according to Ofcom.
Royal Mail welcomed the changes saying they would support a “reliable, efficient and financially sustainable Universal Service”.
The proposals had already been raised by Ofcom after a consultation was announced in 2024, and the scale back was proposed early this year.
“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,” said Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications.
However, just changing Royal Mail’s obligations will not improve the service, she said.
“The company now has to play its part and implement this effectively.”
Ofcom said it had also launched a review of the price of stamps amid concerns over affordability, with a consultation set to be launched next year.
It added that targets would be lowered for first-class post to be delivered the next day from 93% to 90% and second-class to be delivered within three days from 98.5% to 95% .
But Ofcom said it was adding a new “enforceable” backstop delivery target, so that 99% of mail has to be delivered no more than two days late.
Martin Seidenberg, group chief executive of Royal Mail parent firm International Distribution Services, said: “We welcome today’s announcement from Ofcom.
“It is good news for customers across the UK as it supports the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service.
“It follows extensive consultation with thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers send and receive mail today.”
The change follows the recent £3.6 billion takeover of Royal Mail owner IDS by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, which completed in June after being cleared by the Government at the end of 2024.
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