Royal Mail has confirmed sweeping changes to its 2nd class letter delivery service, scrapping Saturday deliveries and switching to an alternate weekday schedule.
Royal Mail has announced a significant overhaul to its postal delivery system. The postal service and a courier firm have been distributing leaflets to households across the UK to inform millions of people about the upcoming changes.
The leaflet states: "Over the coming months, you may notice a change to how we deliver 2nd class letters. It's part of our effort to offer a more reliable and sustainable service shaped around how our customers send today". Royal Mail has overhauled its 2nd class delivery offering. From now on, 2nd class letters and cards will no longer arrive on Saturdays and will operate on a revised weekday pattern (Monday to Friday). The service still targets delivery within three working days, however.
Deliveries will now alternate between weekdays - for example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday one week, followed by Tuesday, Thursday the next. Saturday deliveries for 2nd Class mail have been axed permanently, reports the Mirror.
The delivery target continues to be "three working days". Yet with weekend breaks factored in, a letter posted on a Thursday might not land until the following Tuesday.
A standard 2nd Class letter stamp is priced at 91p. Maximum standard compensation for loss or damage stands at £20.
The alterations are set to roll out over the coming months. Royal Mail confirmed it will implement them "across the UK in 2026".
On Royal Mail's website, a further statement outlines the reasoning behind the changes. It reads: "Royal Mail plays a vital role in connecting the nation through its one-price-goes-anywhere service. For many years, the Universal Service Obligation has required us to collect and deliver letters to every UK address six days a week.
"Following an extensive consultation process involving many stakeholders, Ofcom announced reforms to the Universal Service in July 2025. Letters remain an important means of keeping us connected, but fewer are being sent these days. These changes to the Universal Service will help us deliver a more reliable and sustainable service for you in the future."
Ofcom's overhaul of the Universal Service brings with it significant alterations to letter deliveries. Regarding the specifics, Royal Mail states: "Your 2nd class letters and cards will be delivered every other weekday. While we'll no longer deliver your 2nd class mail on Saturdays, we'll aim to get it to you within three weekdays."
What is Royal Mail's new expected delivery timetable?
Given that post will only arrive on alternate weekdays, the date you send your mail will determine the anticipated delivery window:
Posted Monday: Expected Thursday.
Posted Tuesday: Expected Friday.
Posted Wednesday: Expected Monday.
Posted Thursday: Expected Tuesday.
Posted Friday or Saturday: Expected Wednesday.
Posted Sunday: Expected Thursday.
What is Royal Mail keeping the same?
Royal Mail has confirmed it will maintain its single-price nationwide service throughout the UK, while continuing to deliver 1st class letters six days weekly (Monday through Saturday). The options of 1st and 2nd class for both letters and parcels are unchanged, with parcel deliveries continuing up to seven days each week.
"We understand the important role mail plays in keeping you connected with the people and organisations in your life," Royal Mail said. "These changes to our 2nd class service, as fewer letters are being sent these days, will help us focus on delivering for you in a more consistent and dependable way. Thank you for your patience while we make these crucial changes."