Royal Mail is potentially considering raising the price of first-class stamps in the near future, a move that could further frustrate customers already dissatisfied with the slow service. While no official decision has been announced yet, the postal company has a history of increasing stamp prices around early April.
In the previous year, the cost of a first-class stamp rose by 5p to £1.70, following a substantial surge from 76p in 2020, marking a significant 124% increase. The price of a book of eight first-class stamps now stands at £13.60. Although second-class stamp prices are regulated, they still climbed from 65p in 2020 to 87p in the previous April.
Recent reports from Royal Mail insiders suggest that delivery services are struggling, with rounds being missed regularly and parcels taking precedence over letters due to operational strain. Despite Royal Mail’s denial of prioritizing parcels over letters, whistleblowers revealed ongoing delays in various postal offices across the UK.
The company attributed some of the recent disruptions to adverse weather conditions and higher than usual sick leave, causing temporary route disturbances. Royal Mail assured customers that they are working to overcome these challenges promptly by providing additional support and monitoring performance closely.
Anticipated quarterly figures from Royal Mail are likely to reveal further missed delivery targets before the end of February. Last year, the company faced a substantial £21 million fine for failing to meet first and second-class delivery goals, making it one of the largest penalties imposed by Ofcom on any entity.
Royal Mail’s delivery performance in the 2024-25 financial year fell short of targets, with only 77% of first-class mail and 92.5% of second-class mail being delivered on time. This marked the third consecutive year that Royal Mail, under the ownership of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, faced penalties for service level deficiencies.
To adapt to changing mail volume trends, Royal Mail has been approved to reduce second-class letter deliveries to only five days every two weeks. Despite this adjustment, the company is still in negotiations with the Communication Workers Union regarding operational changes. The union expressed concerns about the service quality not improving and labeled Royal Mail as a company facing a crisis.
Moreover, Royal Mail highlighted potential service disruptions due to storms and increased staff absenteeism across more than 100 UK postcodes.