Bombshell plan for Royal Mail to axe Saturday post deliveries could be blocked

22 January 2024 , 12:39

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Royal Mail wants to reduce the service from six days a week to five (Image: SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

A bombshell plan for Royal Mail to axe Saturday post deliveries could be blocked by Rishi Sunak.

The PM has voiced his "strong view" in favour of Saturday deliveries, emphasising their importance for businesses. He has said he would not accept seeing them scrapped.

Royal Mail has asked Ofcom to axe Saturday deliveries, reducing the service from six days a week to five. Ofcom is expected to publish its recommendations on the universal service this week.

Asked about plans, Mr Sunak's official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister's strong view is that Saturday deliveries provide flexibility and convenience. They're important for businesses and particularly publishers. The Prime Minister would not countenance seeing Saturday deliveries scrapped." He added "we'll see exactly what Ofcom's recommendations are" before taking the next steps.

Industry regulator Ofcom is set to outline its options to reform Royal Mail. It is understood part of the plans include cancelling deliveries at the weekend. Another option is to copy services in countries such as Germany which deliver mail on alternate days. It comes after Royal Mail was referred to Ofcom last year when MPs accused the firm of failing to deliver letters six days a week.

Out of touch Rishi Sunak doesn't regularly read papers or online news sites

Royal Mail bosses have been pushing for a five-day week from Monday to Friday after it reported huge losses to profits. In June last year the Government blocked the company from stopping Saturday deliveries.

Kevin Hollinrake, a minister at the Department for Business and Trade, wrote: “We currently have no plans to change the minimum requirements of the universal postal service as set out in the Postal Services Act 2011 … including six-day letter deliveries.”

At the time, a Royal Mail spokesman said: “The government has said before that it has no current plans to change the USO, but it is clear that when letter volumes have declined by more than 60% since their peak in 2004-05, in order to be financially sustainable, the [USO] requires urgent reform." Continuing to deliver post on Saturdays “increases the threat to the sustainability of the universal service”, they added.

Sophie Huskisson