BBC expert explains why post not being delivered - and it's quite annoying

[POSTMAN]

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Posties have been in touch and said they were being told it was less of a priority than other deliveries

A BBC expert has explained the annoying reason why people’s post isn't arriving on time. Speaking on BBC Morning Live, Colletta Smith explained that the Royal Mail is under scrutiny after failing to hit delivery targets.

She said that postmen and women have been getting in touch with the BBC - and they have said it’s due to what they’re told to do first -with letters lower priority. Ms Smith said: “We’ve had so many posties getting in touch with us at BBC, your voice, pleased that we’re covering the issue and delighted to tell us what’s happening behind the scenes in their offices because it’s spread right the way across the UK.

“They’ve been telling me about understaffing in their areas, about when someone goes on holiday or off sick, there just being no replacement. They’ve been saying they’re still being told to prioritise parcels, and that means that they literally don’t have time to take the mail out. They should be taking out a full round each day. Often, they can just take some of it or none of it, or they take it out with them in the full knowledge that they’re not going to be able to deliver it and bring it back because what they have to do first is get all the parcels out.

“Lots of them are just saying, as a result, those rounds simply aren’t being delivered, and that even the new changes that Royal Mail say are introducing the posties are telling me simply aren’t working at the moment.”

Ofcom has opened an investigation into Royal Mail’s failure to meet its delivery targets for the last year, it has said. Under the watchdog’s targets, 90% of first-class mail should be delivered the next day, and 95% of second-class mail should be delivered within three days.

But Royal Mail announced last week that it had missed targets for another year running, achieving 75.7% of first-class mail arriving the next working day over the 12 months to the end of March, according to the latest quality of service report.

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This was slightly less than the 76.3% achieved in the prior year. For second-class mail, 90.2% was delivered within three working days – less than the 92.2% achieved the year before.

In terms of what people can do about the problem, she said: “If you’ve posted something of value, then there are ways that you can potentially get that money back. So, Royal Mail say for first and second class post if the item hasn’t been delivered by the due date plus an extra 10 working days, then it’s the sender who might be able to reclaim or claim compensation for them. So, the minimum that you need for a claim is the full address of both you and the person you’re sending it to, the amount of postage that you paid for it, where the letter or the parcel was posted, the item reference number, a description of the content.

“Now, if you’ve just stuck a stamp on a letter and popped it in a box, you’re not going to have that proof of posting. If you’ve taken it to a post office, bought the stamp there, they will give you a receipt. So, this isn’t a tracking number. It’s not a way that you can follow up on where exactly your letter is, but it just is proof that you definitely posted it. So, hang on to those receipts if you’re going to a post office.”

She said there are 74 postcodes listed on the Royal Mail website which are the most impacted for postal delays on the Royal Mail website. ‘See if your postcode is one of the areas listed because that might help you understand perhaps why you’re not getting post or it’s not being delivered as regularly.’

And she explained people’s lives are being disrupted by the problem: “I’ve heard from people saying their house signing deals have been delayed when contracts haven’t come through on time. But then there’s all the emotional side of it as well. Because for most of us, actually, when we send something through the post, it’s because of a bereavement, because of a birthday, because of something that you’re trying to celebrate.

“You’re just wanting to express something to somebody. And when that doesn’t turn up, it’s really disappointing. “

Last July, Ofcom “modernised” obligations placed on Royal Mail to reflect steep declines in the number of letters being sent, allowing second-class letters to be delivered on alternate weekdays among changes to delivery targets. Royal Mail expected to complete it rollout of the new delivery model by Christmas, Ofcom said.

While Royal Mail was now making progress, it had taken almost a year to begin the process of implementing the delivery reforms and service levels remained unacceptable, the regulator added.

Ofcom enforcement director Ian Strawhorne said: “A reliable postal service is vital to many people across the country. “We share the deep frustrations of customers who have missed important letters because of Royal Mail’s consistent failure to improve its service over the years.

“While the company is now making progress through its improvement plan, we will continue to hold it to account for its unacceptable performance to date.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “Improving quality of service is a top priority and we are delivering a major programme of change through the rollout of our new delivery model which underpins our Improvement Plan, backed by £500 million of investment over five years.

“These reforms are designed to deliver long-term quality improvements for customers as we modernise the postal service and deploy the new delivery model, enabled by the changes to the Universal Service regulations that Ofcom introduced in July 2025.

“At a time when significant investment is being made to improve reliability across the network, any financial penalty would reduce funding that could otherwise be used to support service improvements for customers. We will engage fully with Ofcom throughout their investigation.”