Royal Mail has published a list of 28 areas where postal deliveries are being delayed due to staff shortages caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The affected locations include 27 areas in England and one in Northern Ireland, with many in or near London.
The postal service cited high volumes of mail and coronavirus-related safety measures as reasons for the disruption, stating: 'Despite our best efforts and significant investment in extra resource, some customers may experience slightly longer delivery timescales than our usual service standards.'
Among the affected areas are Chelmsford in Essex, Leeds in West Yorkshire, Margate in Kent, and Widnes in Cheshire. Labour MP Wes Streeting, whose Ilford constituency is on the list, expressed concern that vaccination invitations could be delayed. Vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi responded that the government would work with Royal Mail to prioritise vaccine letters.
Customers have taken to social media to complain. One user from N8 said service had been 'absolutely dreadful since April 2020', while another from SE11 reported only two deliveries in a month, despite their area not being on the list. Royal Mail acknowledged the issues in a service update, noting that deliveries in the listed areas are likely to be limited.
