Royal Mail has permanently abolished Saturday deliveries for Second Class letters, a major change approved by industry regulator Ofcom. Households across the UK are receiving leaflets explaining the new system, which sees Second Class post delivered only on alternating weekdays (Monday to Friday).
How the new delivery schedule works
Under the revised schedule, a household might receive Second Class mail on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday one week, followed by Tuesday and Thursday the next. First Class letters remain unaffected, with six-day-a-week delivery (Monday to Saturday) and a next-day target. All parcels—First Class, Second Class, or Tracked—continue to be delivered up to seven days a week.
The "one-price-goes-anywhere" principle stays, meaning stamp prices do not vary by destination within the UK. Royal Mail still targets Second Class delivery within three working days, though actual timing may depend on alternating delivery days.
Customer reactions mixed
The change has drawn criticism from some customers. One Reddit user declared: "That is a CUT. NOT a small change." Another agreed: "I'd hate to see what a big change will look." A third commented: "Great, we struggle to get our appointment letters out on time and now they make it harder!"
However, some see potential improvement. Another user said: "If it happens like this and we get deliveries every other weekday it will be a massive improvement from where we are now. I send many 2nd class letters and I know they can take up to 2 weeks to arrive. A few years ago the majority were received within 3 days."
Ofcom approval and cost savings
Ofcom approved the change to allow Royal Mail to cut costs and modernise as letter volumes decline. British households now receive an average of just four letters per week, down from 14 two decades ago. The operational adjustments are expected to save Royal Mail between £250 million and £425 million annually.
To maintain accountability, Ofcom has set new statutory reliability targets: Royal Mail must ensure 95% of Second Class mail arrives within three working days, with a strict backstop requiring 99% delivery within five days.
