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Royal Mail postpones the final stage of delivery changes until January

Royal Mail has delayed changes at 107 delivery offices until 11 January, allowing staff to focus on Christmas. Another 15 offices will proceed in November. The overhaul introduces alternate-weekday second-class deliveries, while first-class letters retain their usual six-day delivery schedule.

From 27 October 2026 — UK Daily Brief

27 OCT 2026 · 6/25

Royal Mail has postponed the final stage of its delivery overhaul until after Christmas, following agreement with the Communication Workers Union.

Changes at 107 remaining delivery offices will now begin on 11 January 2027. Fifteen other offices are still due to introduce the arrangements on 2 November.

The revised system delivers second-class letters on alternate weekdays and removes Saturday second-class deliveries. First-class letters retain a six-day weekly delivery schedule.

About 1,100 offices have already adopted the new model. The pause therefore affects the final rollout rather than reversing changes across the network.

The decision gives the remaining offices time to concentrate on the Christmas period before switching operating arrangements. It also means customers will continue to experience different second-class schedules depending on whether their local office has already moved to the new system.

The January date concerns the delayed offices; it does not mark the first introduction of the overhaul nationwide.

UK

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UK

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UK

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UK

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UK

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UK

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