Royal Mail has confirmed that 34 postcode areas across the UK are experiencing delivery delays today, Wednesday 15 April. The company apologised for the inconvenience, citing local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing problems, and other local factors.
A vehicle travelling from the London Central Mail Centre arrived late at the Midlands Hub, causing delays to mail due for delivery in parts of the Midlands and the North of England. Royal Mail said its air network operated to schedule, but road delays have impacted some services.
The firm stated that it aims to deliver to all addresses six days a week, but in a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible. It added that it provides targeted support to affected offices and rotates deliveries to minimise delays for individual customers.
This month, stamp prices have increased, with First Class stamps rising to £1.80 and Second Class to 91p. Royal Mail's managing director of letters, Richard Travers, explained that price changes are balanced against rising delivery costs, noting that UK adults now spend an average of just £6.50 per year on stamps, with 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago.
Royal Mail has faced criticism over late deliveries, and its owner Daniel Kretinsky recently told MPs that while the service is not perfect, it is not catastrophic.
