Royal Mail blames poor climate and illness for delayed deliveries

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Royal Mail has warned of potential service delays throughout greater than 100 UK postcodes, citing current storms and elevated workers illness as the reason for disruption.

The announcement follows a interval of mounting complaints concerning delayed mail, with issues additionally raised that parcels are being prioritised over letters.

On Monday, the postal agency recognized 38 supply places of work throughout the nation, overlaying roughly 100 postcodes, as these most probably to expertise slower service.

A spokesperson for the corporate defined that "opposed climate, together with storms Goretti, Ingrid and Chandra in January, alongside higher-than-usual sick absence, has precipitated some short-term disruption to sure routes."

Royal Mail sought to reassure prospects, stating: "We wish to reassure prospects that the overwhelming majority of mail is delivered as deliberate and perceive how irritating it's when put up doesn't arrive as anticipated."

The corporate added that it might deploy further assist to affected routes to "restore deliveries as shortly as potential."

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/16/12/aaf0da8719f1beb37778c7dd07b6094fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcxMzI4NjY1-2.83234587.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/16/12/aaf0da8719f1beb37778c7dd07b6094fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcxMzI4NjY1-2.83234587.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/02/16/12/aaf0da8719f1beb37778c7dd07b6094fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzcxMzI4NjY1-2.83234587.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Royal Mail listed 38 delivery offices in the UK on Monday, covering around 100 postcodes, that may be most affected by a slower service" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Royal Mail listed 38 supply places of work within the UK on Monday, overlaying round 100 postcodes, that could be most affected by a slower service (PA Wire) In the meantime, a report by the BBC uncovered cases the place some letters have been reportedly held in supply places of work for weeks, main people to overlook pressing communications corresponding to appointment notices and financial institution statements.

Citing nameless postal employees, the report mentioned that parcels have been being prioritised over letters in some depots, even when they're firstclass, whereas workers shortages have been extra broadly impacting the service.

It's understood that Royal Mail will choose to clear parcels first in the event that they construct up shortly and block walkways in supply places of work.

The corporate has mentioned it's delivering extra parcels as on-line purchasing continues to develop, whereas the variety of addressed letters going by its community is falling.

Royal Mail serves practically two million postcodes and is required to ship mail six days every week, and goals to ship each letters and parcels on time.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/00/462e6786e9488fed51beb559e6e121b2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY5NTk1MTMz-2.34639793.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/00/462e6786e9488fed51beb559e6e121b2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY5NTk1MTMz-2.34639793.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/01/28/00/462e6786e9488fed51beb559e6e121b2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzY5NTk1MTMz-2.34639793.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="A report by the BBC uncovered instances where some letters were reportedly held in delivery offices for weeks, leading individuals to miss urgent communications such as appointment notices and bank statement" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

A report by the BBC uncovered cases the place some letters have been reportedly held in supply places of work for weeks, main people to overlook pressing communications corresponding to appointment notices and financial institution assertion (PA Archive) Regulator Ofcom final 12 months gave the go-ahead for Royal Mail to scrap second class letter deliveries on Saturdays and alter the service to each different weekday.

It launched the adjustments throughout 35 supply places of work as a pilot, however has but to broaden this nationwide throughout all 1,200 websites as a consequence of failing to achieve settlement with the workers union.

It's in the midst of a month-long dispute decision course of with the Communication Employees Union with the goal of reaching an settlement over how the workforce will likely be impacted by the overhaul.