Royal Mail is potentially considering raising the price of first-class stamps in early April, a move that could further frustrate customers already dissatisfied with the current slow service. While it has not been officially confirmed yet, the postal company has a history of increasing prices around this time of year.
Last year, the cost of a first-class stamp rose by 5p to £1.70, following a significant increase from 76p in 2020, marking a 124% surge. Meanwhile, the price of second-class stamps, although capped, also saw a rise from 65p in 2020 to 87p last April.
Recent reports from Royal Mail whistleblowers suggest that delivery delays are becoming a common occurrence, with parcels taking precedence over letters due to operational constraints. Despite these claims, Royal Mail has denied prioritizing parcels over letters.
Weather conditions and high sick leave rates, including the impact of storms Goretti, Ingrid, and Chandra in January, have caused temporary disruptions to certain mail routes. The company is working to address delays by providing additional support and monitoring performance daily to ensure prompt resolution.
Quarterly figures expected before the end of February may reveal further missed delivery targets by Royal Mail. Last year, the company faced a £21 million fine for failing to meet first and second class delivery targets, making it the third-largest fine imposed by regulator Ofcom on any company.
Royal Mail’s delivery performance in the previous financial year fell short of targets, with only 77% of first-class mail and 92.5% of second-class mail delivered on time. This marks the third consecutive year of fines for the company under the ownership of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
To adapt to changing mail volumes, Royal Mail has received approval to reduce second-class letter deliveries to five days every two weeks, moving away from Saturday deliveries. Despite these changes, negotiations with the Communication Workers Union are ongoing.
As Royal Mail continues to face challenges, potential service delays are anticipated across more than 100 UK postcodes due to adverse weather conditions and staff absences.
