WHAT IS ROYAL MAIL PROPOSING? Q&A

through voluntary redundancy and staff turnover.

All non first-class letter deliveries, including second class and bulk business mail such as bills and statements, to be cut to every other weekday.

Second-class deliveries on Saturdays would be scrapped.

First-class letter deliveries would stay six days a week, and parcels up to seven days.

WHY IS ROYAL MAIL PROPOSING THIS?

It said the moves would save it up to £300million a year.

Cuts to second-class deliveries could see Royal Mail axe up to 1,000 jobs, although it hopes this can be achieved

WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL SERVICE?

Royal Mail’s universal service obligation stipulates that it must deliver letters six days a week to all UK addresses for the price of a stamp. It must also deliver parcels Monday to Friday, as well as offer a first-class (next

day) and second-class post (within three days).

WHY DOES OFCOM WANT AN OVERHAUL?

The watchdog said the universal service risks becoming “unsustainable” without reform.

Brits are sending half as many letters as they did in 2011, and receiving many more parcels.

Royal Mail has been heavily loss-making, and failing to meet its delivery performance targets, landed it a £5.6m fine last year.

WHAT HAS OFCOM SUGGESTED SO FAR?

In January it set out two “primary options”: changes to the number of days letters are delivered, and extending how long it takes to deliver them.

■WHAT POWER DOES OFCOM HAVE TO CHANGE THE SERVICE?

The six-day service is part of the service stipulated under the Postal Services Act 2011, so any cut would have to be sanctioned by Parliament. But as Royal Mail would still deliver first class mail on Saturdays, it claims the cut in second class service would not need a law change.

■HOW DOES IT WORK IN OTHER COUNTRIES?

Ofcom said the UK is not alone in needing to change services due to fewer letters being posted as people go online. Other countries have cut the frequency of delivery or extended delivery times for letters, such as Sweden in 2018, Belgium twice since 2020, and Norway and Denmark twice each since 2016.

■WILL DELIVERIES GET MORE EXPENSIVE?

Ofcom has recommitted to capping the cost of posting second-class letters until March 2027. But it does not cap first-class delivery costs.

■WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

Ofcom said it wanted there to be a “national debate” on the future of the postal service.