Royal Mail fined £10.5m for missing first and second class delivery targets

The fine is the second in two years, after the watchdog also gave Royal Mail a £5.6 million penalty in November 2023.

Royal Mail said just under three-quarters of first class post was delivered on time during the period, well short of its 93% target.

And 92.7% of second class post was delivered on time, below its 98.5% target, it said.

Ian Strawhorne, Ofcom director of enforcement, said: “With millions of letters arriving late, far too many people aren’t getting what they pay for when they buy a stamp.

Final call! Time is running out to order your Christmas stamps before it’s too late! https://t.co/PmIUCiz4Ob

Add some festive flair to your cards with these beautiful cathedral designs for 2024.#Chritmas#Christmas2024#ChristmasStamps pic.twitter.com/JMiVZuMj7D

— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) December 11, 2024

“Royal Mail’s poor service is now eroding public trust in one of the UK’s oldest institutions.

“This is the second time we’ve fined the company since the pandemic.

“Royal Mail has provided an improvement plan, and we’re seeing some signs of progress, but it must go further and faster to deliver the service that people expect.”

A Royal Mail spokesperson said high quality service is “extremely important to us” and that it is making changes to deliver it.

But they added that its one-price-goes-anywhere so-called universal service obligation needs “urgent reform”, as it does not meet modern customers’ needs.

The universal service currently requires Royal Mail to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week, but is under review.

Royal Mail Christmas deadlines

If you’re sending post with 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For postage, the last recommended posting date is Wednesday, December 18.

For 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48, it’s Friday, December 20.

For Royal Mail Tracked 24, the last recommended posting date is Saturday, December 21 and for Special Delivery Guaranteed it’s Monday, December 23.

Now that’s a delivery with a view!

Thanks so much to postie Robert Appleton for letting us share this beautiful 📸 pic.twitter.com/4UCktgk98t

— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) August 21, 2024

Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Mail, said: “Every year we pull out all the stops to deliver Christmas for our customers.

“We will have an additional 16,000 seasonal workers and almost 4,000 new vans, trucks and trailers added to the fleet in time for Christmas.

“It’s our busiest time of year and we plan all year round to help ensure we deliver the best possible service for UK consumers and businesses.”

How to make sure your post arrives safely

You’ll want your Christmas gifts and cards to arrive safely so make sure you write the full address clearly on the item of mail and always include the full postcode.

It’s also important that the correct amount of postage has been applied to avoid any delays or extra charges for the recipient.

More information on our Christmas posting is available on the Royal Mail website.

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How to avoid scams

Royal Mail warns Brits to beware of scams and counterfeit stamps

If you need tips on how to determine if an email, text message or phone call is from Royal Mail and how to report anything suspicious, you can visit the website.

The company is reminding the public to remain extra vigilant during the festive season because often at this time of year, it sees an increase in online scam attempts as fraudsters look for opportunities to steal money and valuable information from people expecting a delivery.

Royal Mail has launched a stamp scanner to provide extra reassurance to customers who may be unsure about whether a stamp is counterfeit or not.

Customers who download the app can use it to check whether it is a known counterfeit, preventing them from inadvertently becoming victims of fraud.