Overview
- Royal Mail confirmed on Wednesday that second-class letters and cards will no longer be delivered on Saturdays and will be moved to an every-other‑weekday schedule.
- The rota will run on a two‑week cycle, for example Monday/Wednesday/Friday one week and Tuesday/Thursday the next, and Royal Mail says it will aim to deliver within three working days.
- The change follows Ofcom’s July 2025 reform of the Universal Service Obligation that allowed a reduction from a six‑day statutory delivery requirement.
- Consumers should expect longer gaps for items posted late in the week, second‑class stamp prices were raised to 91p in April 2026, and standard compensation for lost or damaged second‑class items stays capped at £20.
- Royal Mail plans a UK‑wide rollout through 2026 while keeping six‑day first‑class delivery, up‑to‑seven‑day parcel delivery, and its one‑price‑goes‑anywhere policy.