Christmas Day is almost here and many of us may be waiting for any last minute gifts, parcels and cards to arrive in the post.
However, this year’s post has been a little different due to the result of the industrial action that has seen Royal Mail workers stage walkouts over the Christmas period.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) confirmed that postal service workers will be holding a two-day strike over the festive period, with strikes happening on Friday December 23 and Saturday December 24.
With the industrial action already affecting post in the lead up to Christmas, it is worth noting that the postal service might look a little different during the holidays this year.
Despite the planned strikes, Royal Mail has confirmed that it does have contingency plans in place, though your post is likely to still experience disruption this year.
With changes to this year’s service, here’s everything you need to know about the Royal Mail postage over Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year.
Will the Royal Mail be delivering on Christmas Eve?
The Royal Mail will not be operating deliveries and collections on Christmas Eve this year, due to the proposed strike action taking place on December 24.
It means that it will not be delivering letters (with the exception of Special Delivery) or door to door mail this year.
However, the postal service has said that it will deliver as many Special Delivery and Tracked 24 parcels as possible. It will also prioritise the delivery of COVID test kits and medical prescriptions wherever possible.
Customers are still being advised to post their mail at their closest Postbox and Post Office, though there will be no regular collections during the strike.
When is the next postal dates after Christmas?
Royal Mail will resume normal service on December 28, due to the Boxing Day falling on a Monday and the bank holiday rolling over to Tuesday December 27.
This means that there will be no Royal Mail deliveries on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Tuesday December 27.
It is worth keeping in mind, that the ongoing industrial action could lead to a change in the date for when the service resumes back to normal.
What about Royal Mail Service on New Year?
On December 31, the Royal Mail will be operating a normal service for deliveries and an ‘Eve’ service for collections – which means there will only be collections for customers with a regular Saturday collection.
There will be no deliveries on January 1 and January 2. Due to a public holiday in Scotland, there will also be no service on Tuesday January 3 for the country, though it will return to normal in other parts of the UK.
The best way to keep track of any changes is by checking the Royal Mail website.
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