Royal Mail has released an updated list of postcodes experiencing significant delivery delays on December 22. This development follows a wave of complaints from customers on social media questioning the whereabouts of their letters and parcels.
The postal service attributes the delays to staffing shortages and illness at local depots, despite hiring an additional 20,000 employees for the busy holiday season. Consequently, 92 postcodes may not receive deliveries of parcels and letters on time, potentially missing the December 25 deadline.
A spokesperson explained, “Our goal is to deliver mail to all addresses six days a week. However, due to local challenges such as high sick leave rates, staffing issues, or other factors, some local offices may temporarily struggle to meet this commitment. In such cases, we will adjust delivery schedules to minimize delays for individual customers. We are actively supporting these offices to overcome their operational difficulties and restore our service to its usual high standard.”
Expressing regret for any inconvenience caused, Royal Mail assures customers of regular updates on the most affected offices.
Disgruntled customers have vented their frustrations on social media. Nick shared, “After 13 days, I finally received a 1st class letter sent on December 3, warning about water contamination.” Gary criticized the delayed 48-hour delivery service, with a parcel remaining undelivered for eight days. Anne raised concerns about chaotic sorting offices and undelivered parcels affecting 151 postcodes, including hers.
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Helen reported an unsatisfactory experience with the Deeside office, highlighting a delayed parcel delivery despite paying for expedited service. John acknowledged a First Class item posted on December 5 reaching its destination on December 16, albeit with a delayed timeline.
Jed expressed frustration over two first-class letters, guaranteed for next-day delivery, remaining undelivered after six days without any tracking information provided.