Royal Mail issues Bank Holiday service update affecting all UK households

Royal Mail has issued an update to all UK households today. The postal service typically delivers letters and parcels to homes and businesses across the country six days a week.

However, from Monday, May 4, Royal Mail has confirmed there are “no deliveries or collections” today. Due to the Early May Bank Holiday, postal services will not operate. Royal Mail said: “There will be no deliveries or collections of mail on Monday, May 4.”

Over the weekend, its service operated as normal on Saturday, May 2, with Sunday Parcel deliveries taking place yesterday.

It continued: “We deliver and collect your mail on most days of the year, including Saturdays. However, we don’t usually deliver or collect on public or local holidays.”

The suspension of mail applies across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland today. Standard service will recommence from Tuesday, May 5.

Royal Mail has been hit with criticism regarding delayed deliveries, with its owner facing scrutiny from MPs. Daniel Kretinsky previously told MPs: “Of course I am deeply sorry for any letters that arrive late.”

Addressing the Commons Business select committee, Mr Kretinsky continued: “It is not perfect, but it is not catastrophic.”

Last month, Royal Mail pledged to achieve its letter delivery targets by May 2027 as part of a £500million transformation plan. Part-time employees will be given the opportunity to extend their working hours to improve service.

The reforms will see Saturday Second Class deliveries scrapped, with the service switching to alternating weekdays — three days one week and two the next.

Royal Mail said that the changes and planned investment will enable it to improve First Class Next Day delivery to approximately 85% within nine months of the reforms being introduced, before hitting the 90% target set by regulator Ofcom within a year.

The company also pledged to deliver 93% of Second Class letters within three days over nine months, with a commitment to reach the 95% target by May next year.

Royal Mail was handed a £21million fine by Ofcom in October for falling short of targets, having delivered 77% of First Class post and 92.5% of Second Class post on time in 2024-25.

From April 1, Ofcom reduced the delivery targets for First Class post to be delivered the following day from 93% to 90%, and Second Class to be delivered within three days from 98.5% to 95%.

Alistair Cochrane, chief executive of Royal Mail, said: “We recognise our service hasn’t always been the standard our customers rightly expect and we’re determined to do better.

“The plan we’ve set out today shows how we’ll make a step change in performance across the UK, backed by £500million of investment over the next five years.”