Royal Mail has warned that nearly 50 postcodes across the UK may not receive their post on time today (Friday, November 6) due to "high levels of sick absence" and "other local factors". The affected areas include Aberdare, Basingstoke and Glasgow.
Why deliveries are affected
In a message on its website, Royal Mail said: "We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week. In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors."
"In those cases, we will rotate deliveries to minimise the delay to individual customers. We also provide targeted support to those offices to address their challenges and restore our service to the high standard our customers would normally receive."
Impact on services
Royal Mail also said it is "sorry for any inconvenience" and that it "will regularly update customers on the offices most impacted".
In October, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) claimed that approximately 400 delivery staff are leaving every week ahead of the busy Christmas period. A new model aimed at improving delivery services has reorganised routes and has been rolled out in about 1,000 out of 1,200 delivery offices.
Second-class post is allowed to be delivered only every other weekday, and first-class letters and parcels six days a week.
Christmas posting dates
Royal Mail has also published a list of its last Christmas posting dates: Friday, 18 December for 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For; Saturday, 19 December for Royal Mail Tracked 48; Monday, 21 December for 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For, and Royal Mail Tracked 24; Wednesday, 23 December for Special Delivery Guaranteed.
Areas affected today
The full list of areas affected by delivery issues today includes: Aberdare DO (CF44, CF45); Basingstoke DO (RG21-RG26, RG28); Boston DO (PE20-PE22); Cheadle DO (SK8); Glasgow DO (G32); Gravesend DO (DA11, DA12, DA13); Hoylake DO (CH29, CH47, CH48); Lanark DO (ML8, ML11, ML12); Lark Lane DO (L17); Lichfield DO (WS7, WS13, WS14); Newton Le Willows DO (WA3, WA12); Nuneaton DO (CV10, CV11, CV13); Orton Southgate DO (PE2, PE7, PE8, PE9); Peterborough DO (PE1, PE3-PE6); Redcar DO (TS10, TS11); Skelton in Cleveland DO (TS12, TS13); Spilsby DO (PE23); and Wisbech DO (PE13, PE14).
