Critics accuse watchdog of ‘surrendering’ as Royal Mail allowed less Saturday deliveries

Ofcom have been slammed for rubber-stamping Royal Mail plans to ditch second class letter Saturday deliveries – despite post still a lifeline to some communities.

The watchdog said a consultation found reducing the second class letter service to alternate weekdays, while keeping first class deliveries six days a week, would still meet postal users’ needs.

The planned changes – saving Royal Mail up to £425m a year – come as it’s being sold to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky for £3.6 billion, with the deal already rubber-stamped by the Government last year.

Ofcom stressed second class letters would still be delivered within three working days of collection – and the plan aimed to “ensure the universal service remains sustainable and delivers what people need”.

But it’s sparked fury from consumers and age-support groups who warn the controversial move could seriously affect those who still rely on post for communication from the outside world, such as vital NHS appointments.

Dennis Reed, director of senior citizens’ campaign group Silver Voices, slammed Ofcom and Labour for “surrendering” the nation’s postal service – hastening the “eventual end” of household deliveries forever.

He told the Daily Express: “Ofcom and the Government are presiding over the slow death of a vital part of the UK’s infrastructure.

“Instead of opposing Royal Mail’s takeover by a foreign billionaire they are complicit in its slow demise, as assets are stripped from the company over time and debt loaded on to it.

“Once again it will be older people who suffer most from this policy as the use of the post for bills, NHS appointments and other official correspondence becomes too costly and less reliable.

“This surrender by Ofcom will hasten the downward spiral of the postal service; astronomical prices for stamps, leading to less letters, leading to the eventual end of household deliveries.

“It won’t be long before the NHS stops sending appointment letters by post and forces everyone to go online or get lost.”

Furious Royal Mail customers blasted the plans today, with one writing: “This strategy is already in place! We are lucky if we post once a week! Used to get it twice a day.”

Another raged: “The service is being deliberately run down. The fines from Ofcom are pointless, prices keep going up, service keeps getting worse.”

While a third asked: “How did the Victorians manage 12 deliveries a day and yet a modern Royal Mail won’t even be able to manage one?”

Meanwhile Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, told us: “For many older people, these latest announcements about the scaling back of 2nd class deliveries will probably be viewed as just another staging post in the progressive decline of the post.”

But she added: “However, if, as has been suggested, this move helps to secure the future of postal services then that’s a good thing.

“Certainly, many older people continue to rely on hard-copy communications, especially the millions who are not online at all, but also others who do use the internet to a limited extent but who find it easier to send and receive information in more traditional ways.

“For all these older people, and indeed for us all, a reliable and sustainable postal service remains an important national asset.”

Ofcom also outlined plans to cut Royal Mail’s delivery targets – seeing first class mail reduced from 93 per cent to 90 per cent delivered the next day, and second class mail from 98.5 per cent to 95 per cent delivered within three days.

This will bring UK targets more in line with other international and European markets, Ofcom added – giving the examples of Germany’s three-day target being 95 per cent and Spain’s 93 per cent.

There would also be new ‘backstop targets’ if the first target is missed. For First Class mail, 99.5 per cent would have to be delivered within three days of posting. For second class, 99.5 per cent would have to be delivered within five days.

Ofcom added it would continue to cap the price of a Second Class stamp; ensure one price goes anywhere throughout the UK; and retain a six days a week First Class next-day service.

But the regulator also called on Royal Mail to ‘invest in its network, become more efficient and improve its service levels in both parcels and letters’.

Ofcom’s decision follows recent hefty fines against Royal Mail for poor performance, with the group hit with more than £16 million in penalties in the past 18 months for failing to meet targets.

However, the price of stamps have continued to rise. Since 2022, Royal Mail has hiked the cost of a first class stamp five times from 85p to £1.65.

It has also increased the cost of a second class stamp over the same period from 66p to 85p.

Natalie Black, Ofcom’s group director for networks and communications, said: “The world has changed – we’re sending a third of the letters we were 20 years ago.

“We need to reform the postal service to protect its future and ensure it delivers for the whole of the UK.

“But we’re safeguarding what matters most to people – first class mail six days a week at the same price throughout the UK, and a price cap on second class stamps.”

Ofcom said its latest research revealed most people do not need letter delivery six days a week, with the number delivered each year having slumped from 20 billion two decades ago to around 6.6 billion now and set to drop further to 4 billion in the next few years.

Ofcom is to consult further on its proposals until April 10, with a final decision to be made in the summer. Mr Kretinsky has pledged to stick to this newly agreed Universal Service Obligation (USO) after the takeover.

Emma Gilthorpe, chief executive of Royal Mail, said: “As Ofcom’s analysis shows, it is no longer financially sustainable to maintain a network built for 20 billion letters when we are now only delivering 6.7 billion.

“Reform is crucial to support a modern, sustainable, and reliable postal service for our customers, our company and our people.”

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) warned the overhaul must come with better working conditions for Royal Mail staff and service improvements.

Dave Ward, general secretary of the CWU, said: “The trials we agreed with Royal Mail are strictly conditional on the basis that we see a significant improvement in service reliability for customers, as well as terms and conditions for postal workers being improved – including improved attendance patterns, more Saturdays off, agreed long-term job security and the creation of a genuine platform for growing the company.

“Any failure to abide by these conditions will see our support withdrawn. The prospective owners of Royal Mail have committed to restoring faith in the UK postal service – we will hold them to this.”