Delays are anticipated to deliveries in more than 60 postcode areas across the country
Royal Mail deliveries could be hit by delays
Households across Birmingham and Lichfield are being warned of delays to Royal Mail deliveries.
Royal Mail has warned that some postcodes across the UK may not receive their mail on time this weekend.
It aims to post letters and parcels six days a week but has faced criticism over its delays amid an increase in stamp prices
Weekend delivery and collection services are due to take place on Saturday, March 21, while parcel deliveries are expected to take place on Sunday, March 22.
But some delivery offices have reported delays which is expected to have a knock-on effect on certain postcodes.
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Royal Mail said: “We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week.
“In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors.
“In those cases, we will rotate deliveries to minimise the delay to individual customers.
“We also provide targeted support to those offices to address their challenges and restore our service to the high standard our customers would normally receive.”
It added: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.”
As of this weekend, 25 delivery offices across the UK are said to be experiencing delays.
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It means homes and businesses in 62 postcode areas in places including Birmingham, Leicester, Grimsby, Oxford, Pontefract and Whitechapel could be affected.
The firm was handed a £21million fine last October for missing First and Second class delivery targets in its last financial year.
Just 77 per cent of First Class mail and 92.5 per cent of Second Class were delivered on time in its 2024 to 25 financial year – short of its respective 93 per cent and 98.5 per cent targets.
It comes as Royal Mail is set to increase the price of stamps next month, Mirror reports.
First Class stamps will go up to £1.80 and Second Class stamps to 91p, from April 6.
The cost of a First Class stamp in 2020 was 76p.
Next month, customers will have to pay £1.80, up 10p, which is a 137 per cent rise compared to six years ago.
Since 2020, the cost of a First Class stamp has risen eight times, according to Citizens Advice.
Richard Travers, managing director of letters at Royal Mail, said: “We always consider price changes very carefully, balancing affordability with the rising cost of delivering mail.
“On average, UK adults now spend just £6.50 each year on stamps and there are 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago.
“In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by four million to 32 million addresses across the UK.”
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Royal Mail delays expected this weekend
- Barrhead DO (G78)
- Birmingham East DO (B8 – B10)
- Castle Bromwich DO (B35, B36, B37, B40)
- Cranleigh DO (GU6)
- Erskine DO (PA7, PA8)
- Grimsby DO (DN31-DN37)
- Leicester North DO (LE4, LE7, LE41)
- Lichfield DO (WS7, WS13, WS14)
- Loughborough DO (LE11, LE12)
- Newcastle Under Lyme DO (ST5, ST55)
- New Ferry DO (CH32, CH62, CH63)
- Nuneaton DO (CV10, CV11, CV13)
- Oxford DO (OX1, OX2)
- Patchway DO (BS32, BS34, BS35)
- Pontefract DO (WF7-WF9, WF11)
- Redfern Park DO (B11, B12, B25-B27)
- Shepshed DO (LE12)
- Sleaford DO (NG34)
- Spean Bridge SPDO (PH31, PH34)
- Sutton Bonington SPDO (LE12)
- Syston SPDO (LE7)
- Thatcham DO (RG18-RG19)
- Upton DO (CH30, CH49)
- Whitechapel DO (E1,E1W,E98)
- Yate DO (BS37)