Royal Mail Delays Postal Reforms Until January 2027

Royal Mail postponed the final phase of its second-class postal reforms until January 11, delaying the rollout to 107 remaining delivery offices to prioritize the Christmas rush. The reforms, already active in nearly 1,100 offices, transition second-class mail to alternate weekday delivery and eliminate Saturday deliveries.

The delay follows missed regulatory targets for first- and second-class mail and public criticism from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who described the service as "unacceptable for far too long." While CEO Alistair Cochrane maintains that the new model improves reliability, he acknowledged that "there is still more to do."

To manage costs and quality, the company is cutting 2,500 head-office roles and pledging 500 million pounds over five years for service improvements. Royal Mail is also recruiting 22,000 temporary workers for the festive season. Despite these measures, the Communication Workers Union warned that the company is "on the brink of collapse."