Only three-quarters of first class mail delivered on time
Royal Mail says just 75.7% of first class letters arrived on time in the year to March, well below its target.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Royal Mail’s latest service figures show first class delivery slipping further behind target, prompting fresh concern from Ofcom and criticism from campaigners. The company says investment and a revised operating model will lift performance next year.
Royal Mail is supposed to deliver letters quickly, but it has been missing its goals by a lot. Out of every 100 first class letters, about 76 arrived on time.
Think of it like a school bus that should pick up almost everyone on schedule, but keeps arriving late. People start to stop trusting it, especially if they need important papers sent fast.
Royal Mail says it is spending money to fix the problem and expects better results next year. The regulator is watching closely because late mail can cause real trouble for homes and businesses.
Analysis
What happened
Royal Mail’s annual quality-of-service report shows only 75.7% of first class letters were delivered on time in the year to the end of March. That is far below the company’s target of 93% and slightly worse than the 76.9% it recorded the previous year.
Second class performance also missed the mark. Royal Mail said 90.2% of second class letters arrived within three working days, against a target of 98.5%. The BBC says it has been six years since the service last met its second class target and ten years since it last met its first class target.
Ofcom said it was “very concerned” by the figures and the BBC understands the regulator expects to open a probe early next week. The report comes after Royal Mail was taken over by Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group, with shareholders approving the deal at the end of April last year.
Royal Mail’s response
The company says service is improving and argues it is on track to meet new reduced targets by this time next year: 90% for first class and 95% for second class. Chief operating officer Jamie Stephenson said the network needs time to absorb investment and deliver “lasting change”. Royal Mail says it plans to invest £500m over five years.
The firm is also adjusting operations. It has given some part-time postal workers the option to work longer hours and agreed with Ofcom to remove Saturday second class delivery under its new model.
Wider context
The story reflects a long-running decline in letter delivery quality, especially since the pandemic. It also shows the tension between public expectations, regulator pressure and a business model that is shifting toward parcels and away from traditional letters. Citizens Advice said the poor performance was effectively “business as usual,” underscoring how little confidence remains in the service.
Key points
- Royal Mail delivered 75.7% of first class letters on time in the year to March.
- Second class letters also missed target, with 90.2% delivered within three working days.
- Ofcom said it was very concerned and is expected to open a probe into Royal Mail's performance.
- Royal Mail says it is investing £500m over five years and expects to meet lower targets by next year.
- The article says the company has not met first class or second class letter targets for years.
