Royal Mail must be authorized to eliminate deliveries of second -class stamps on Saturday, as part of a series of reforms proposed by the communications regulator.
From July 28, Royal Mail will also be authorized to deliver second -class letters over alternative week days, said OFCOM.
The position will always be delivered within three working days depending on the collection from Monday to Friday.
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The proposals had already been raised by OFCOM after a consultation Announced in 2024and the back of the scale was proposed at the start of this year.
Royal Mail had Failure on several occasions To respect the so-called universal service obligation to deliver a position in fixed periods.
These delivery objectives are now revised downwards.
Rather than having to have 93% of the first class mail delivered the next day, 90% will be legally authorized.
The objective of second -class mail deliveries will be reduced by 98.5% to arrive within three working days to 95%.
This is good news for Royal Mail and its new owner, the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Ofcom estimates that changes will lead to savings between 250 and £ and 425 million pounds sterling.
A welcome change?
Unsurprisingly, the company praised the announcement.
“This is good news for customers of the United Kingdom, because it supports the provision of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable universal service,” said Martin Seidenberg, general manager of the Royal Mail Mother Society, International Distribution Services.
“It follows an in -depth consultation of thousands of people and businesses to ensure that the postal service better reflects their needs and the realities of how customers are sending and receiving mail today,” said Seidenberg.
Citizens’ advice, however, doubted whether the services would improve as a result of changes.
“Today, OFCOM has missed a major opportunity to cause significant changes,” said Tom Macinnes, director of policies at Citizens Advice.
Changing habits
Less than a third of letters are sent now 20 years ago and should fall to approximately a fifth of the letters sent above.
According to OFCOM Research, people want more reliability and accessibility than fast delivery.
Royal Mail has been lost in recent years as income has dropped.
In response to OFCOM changes, a government spokesperson said: “The public is waiting for a well-managed postal service, with letters arriving on time through the country without it costing the earth. With the way people use the postal services that have changed, it’s just that the regulator has examined this.
“We now need Royal Mail to work with unions and poses to provide a service that people expect, and this includes maintaining the principle of a price to send a letter anywhere in the United Kingdom”
This story of rupture is updated and more details will be published shortly.
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