Royal Mail ending delivery service in UK postal ‘Saturday’ shake-up | UK | News

Royal Mail has unveiled a significant shift in its postal delivery operations. The postal service and a courier firm have been distributing leaflets to UK households to inform millions of residents about the forthcoming changes.

The leaflet includes a statement explaining: “Over the coming months, you may notice a change to how we deliver 2nd class letters. It’s part of our effort to offer a more reliable and sustainable service shaped around how our customers send today”.

Royal Mail has revised its 2nd class delivery service. Moving forward, 2nd class letters and cards will no longer be delivered on Saturdays and will operate on a modified weekday schedule (Monday to Friday). Nevertheless, the service continues to target delivery within three weekdays.

It will now operate on alternate weekdays, for example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday one week, followed by Tuesday, Thursday the next. Saturday deliveries for 2nd Class mail have been abolished permanently, reports the Mirror.

The delivery objective remains “three working days”. However, weekend intervals mean a letter posted on a Thursday might not reach its destination until Tuesday the following week.

A standard 2nd Class letter stamp is priced at 91p. The maximum standard compensation for loss or damage stands at £20.

The transition is being phased in across the UK network. Royal Mail states it will roll them out “across the UK in 2026”.

On Royal Mail’s website, a further statement clarifies the reasoning behind the alterations. It states: “Royal Mail plays a vital role in connecting the nation through its one-price-goes-anywhere service. For many years, the Universal Service Obligation has required us to collect and deliver letters to every UK address six days a week.

“Following an extensive consultation process involving many stakeholders, Ofcom announced reforms to the Universal Service in July 2025. Letters remain an important means of keeping us connected, but fewer are being sent these days. These changes to the Universal Service will help us deliver a more reliable and sustainable service for you in the future.”

Ofcom’s reforms to the Universal Service encompass modifications to how your letters will be delivered. Regarding what is being altered, Royal Mail explains: “Your 2nd class letters and cards will be delivered every other weekday. While we’ll no longer deliver your 2nd class mail on Saturdays, we’ll aim to get it to you within three weekdays.”

What is Royal Mail’s new expected delivery timetable?

Since post only arrives every other weekday, your posting date determines the expected arrival timeframe:

• Posted Monday: Expected Thursday.
• Posted Tuesday: Expected Friday.
• Posted Wednesday: Expected Monday.
• Posted Thursday: Expected Tuesday.
• Posted Friday or Saturday: Expected Wednesday.
• Posted Sunday: Expected Thursday.

What is Royal Mail keeping the same?

Royal Mail states it is keeping its one-price-goes-anywhere service across the UK, while continuing to deliver 1st class letters six days a week (Monday to Saturday). Its offering of 1st and 2nd class options for letters and parcels remains unchanged, and parcels will continue to be delivered up to seven days a week.

“We understand the important role mail plays in keeping you connected with the people and organisations in your life,” Royal Mail said. “These changes to our 2nd class service, as fewer letters are being sent these days, will help us focus on delivering for you in a more consistent and dependable way. Thank you for your patience while we make these crucial changes.”