Overview

• Royal Mail delivered 77% of first-class and 92.5% of second-class post on time in 2024–25, below targets of 93% and 98.5%.
• The penalty, the third-largest imposed by Ofcom, was reduced from £30 million after Royal Mail admitted liability and settled.
• It marks a third consecutive breach, following fines of £5.6 million in 2023 and £10.5 million in 2024.
• Ofcom said exceptional weather did not justify the shortfall and warned that further fines are likely without meaningful progress.
• Royal Mail accepted the decision and pointed to trials of a new delivery model and network changes enabled by recent universal service adjustments.