Royal Mail announces major change to how it delivers post in UK-wide update

Royal Mail announces major change to how it delivers post in UK-wide update The Royal Mail is sending UK homes leaflets with all the information they need to know about the changes Royal Mail has announced a major change to the way it delivers post. The postal service and a courier company have been sending UK households leaflets through letterboxes to make millions of people aware of the changes being made. On the leaflet, a statement says: "Over the coming months, you may notice a change to how we deliver 2nd class letters. It's part of our effort to offer a more reliable and sustainable service shaped around how our customers send today". The Royal Mail has updated its 2nd class delivery service. Now, 2nd class letters and cards won't be delivered on Saturdays and will follow a different schedule on weekdays (Monday to Friday). However, the service still aims to deliver items within three weekdays. It will follow alternate weekdays now, for instance, Monday, Wednesday, Friday one week, then Tuesday, Thursday the next. Saturday deliveries for 2nd Class post have been permanently scrapped. The delivery target remains "three working days". However, weekend gaps mean a letter sent on a Thursday may not arrive until Tuesday the following week. A standard 2nd Class letter stamp costs 91p. The maximum standard compensation for loss or damage is £20. The changes are expected to be made over the coming months. Royal Mail says it will introduce them "across the UK in 2026". On Royal Mail's website, another statement explains why the changes are being made. It says: "Royal Mail plays a vital role in connecting the nation through its one-price-goes-anywhere service. For many years, the Universal Service Obligation has required us to collect and deliver letters to every UK address six days a week. "Following an extensive consultation process involving many stakeholders, Ofcom announced reforms to the Universal Service in July 2025. Letters remain an important means of keeping us connected, but fewer are being sent these days. These changes to the Universal Service will help us deliver a more reliable and sustainable service for you in the future." Ofcom’s reforms to the Universal Service include changes to how your letters will be delivered. In regard to what is changing, Royal Mail says: "Your 2nd class letters and cards will be delivered every other weekday. While we'll no longer deliver your 2nd class mail on Saturdays, we'll aim to get it to you within three weekdays." What is Royal Mail's new expected delivery timetable? Because mail only arrives every other weekday, your day of posting dictates the expected arrival window: - Posted Monday: Expected Thursday. - Posted Tuesday: Expected Friday. - Posted Wednesday: Expected Monday. - Posted Thursday: Expected Tuesday. - Posted Friday or Saturday: Expected Wednesday. - Posted Sunday: Expected Thursday. What is Royal Mail keeping the same? Royal Mail says it is keeping its one-price-goes-anywhere service across the UK, as well as delivering 1st class letters six days a week (Monday to Saturday). Its choice of 1st and 2nd class for letters and parcels remains the same, and parcels will still be delivered up to seven days a week. "We understand the important role mail plays in keeping you connected with the people and organisations in your life," Royal Mail said. "These changes to our 2nd class service, as fewer letters are being sent these days, will help us focus on delivering for you in a more consistent and dependable way. Thank you for your patience while we make these crucial changes."