Royal Mail staffing issues explained after Basingstoke delay

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https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/ne ... oke-delay/

ROYAL Mail has explained the reasons for postal delivery delays in Basingstoke and Deane in recent months, saying staffing issues have impacted its sorting office.

More than 150,000 postcodes in Basingstoke and Deane were hit by the delays, which Royal Mail blamed on “resourcing issues”.

Royal Mail said “resourcing issues” meant staff shortages caused by short-term problems such as sickness and absence.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said the company publishes daily updates showing delivery offices where some routes may not be completed as normal.

“We publish this information proactively so customers have a clear and up-to-date picture where there may be some local disruption – it does not mean deliveries have stopped across the area or that every address is affected.

“Deliveries are still taking place, and for many customers they will receive their mail as normal.”

The spokesperson added: “It wouldn’t be accurate to say that the whole of Basingstoke was affected.”

The spokesperson said Royal Mail works to “minimise any disruption and return the route to normal as quickly as possible, with any mail not delivered that day prioritised for the next working day” when a route cannot be completed.

The spokesperson added: “There can also be other factors. Royal Mail is a large and complex national network, with mail moving through mail centres, hubs and around 1,200 delivery offices, so an issue at one point in the network can sometimes affect deliveries elsewhere.

“The position can change quickly, however, which is why the page is updated every day.”

The issues affecting RG postcode areas in July and August have now been resolved.

Royal Mail said its latest figures show that 85 per cent of first-class post is delivered the next working day.

Royal Mail aims to deliver all first-class post the next working day, including Saturdays, but 15 per cent currently misses that target.


Despite this, Royal Mail said first class post deliveries have improved by nine per cent from the same period in 2025.

Royal Mail said 98.1 per cent of post is delivered within three working days.

Across all letter products, Royal Mail said 93 per cent were delivered ‘on time’ and more than 99 per cent within a week.

Royal Mail had issued a similar warning about resourcing issues at the Basingstoke Delivery Office in March 2026, affecting several RG postcode areas.