Is Royal Mail stopping Saturday deliveries?

Is Royal Mail stopping Saturday deliveries?

Yes, Royal Mail is stopping Saturday deliveries for second-class letters. This change is part of a broader reform to the Universal Service Obligation (USO), which requires Royal Mail to deliver post six days a week. The move, approved by Ofcom, allows Royal Mail to deliver second-class letters on alternating weekdays instead of Saturdays, with first-class letters still delivered six days a week (Monday to Saturday). 

Key Points:

Second-class Saturday deliveries are being discontinued: This means second-class letters will be delivered on alternating weekdays (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday). 

• The changes only affect second-class letter mail. 
• Parcels, 1st Class Letters, Special Delivery and Royal Mail Tracked 24 & 48 hour services are not affected.
• The changes became effective from July 28th 2025. 

Is your location affected?

The Daily Mail reported back in January that the first areas to be trialled included: London, Bristol, Darlington, Nottingham, Coventry, Salisbury, Winchester, Cardiff , Hull, Antrim, Stockton on Tees, Hexham and Scuntorpe.

Royal Mail are currently trialling the operation in some urban areas first before introducing it into rural areas, and have published some details on their website , but there are no further details of which delivery offices are involved,  If you are unsure if your deliveries are affected contact your local delivery office or ask when your mail is delivered.

What to expect:

You may notice that your second-class mail arrives less frequently than before, but First-Class mail and parcels will still be delivered on their original schedule. Here is when you may expect your 2nd Class mail to be delivered by, based on the day of posting:

The reforms are aimed at helping Royal Mail adapt to declining letter volumes and reduce costs, according to Ofcom.