The UK Parliament’s Business and Trade Committee has written to Royal Mail seeking assurances over service quality and delivery performance following ongoing disruption across the country.
In a letter dated February 16 to interim CEO Alistair Cochrane, committee chair Liam Byrne said members of parliament (MPs) were concerned about “significant” service failures, including continued disruption affecting more than 100 postcodes, which Royal Mail says is due to “local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing or other local factors.”
The committee said disruption had continued well beyond the Christmas peak period and highlighted concerns that Royal Mail may be prioritizing parcel deliveries over letters. A parliamentary report in 2023 reached similar conclusions, though Royal Mail has said that communication services regulator Ofcom found no evidence of a general policy to prioritize parcels outside contingency arrangements.
The committee has asked the company for “categorical assurance” that parcels are not being prioritized over letters, and has requested details on the use of contingency policies that could delay letter deliveries to prevent congestion in delivery offices.
MPs also raised concerns about reports that letters may be held back until enough items accumulate for a single delivery. The letter states that such ‘batching’ practices, if accurate, could cause customers to miss time-sensitive communications such as medical appointments.
The inquiry follows regulatory action taken in October 2025, when Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21m (US$26.5m) for failing to meet delivery targets in the 2024-25 financial year. The company delivered 77% of First Class mail and 92.5% of Second Class mail on time, below targets of 93% and 98.5%, respectively. It was the third consecutive year that Royal Mail had been found in breach of its obligations.
The committee is seeking updated data on performance against Ofcom’s newer ‘backstop’ target requiring 99% of mail to be delivered no more than two days late. It has also asked when Royal Mail will publish an improvement plan, which Ofcom said must be implemented urgently to avoid further penalties.
Additional questions relate to whether Royal Mail has made financial provisions for future fines, and what impact such penalties could have on investment and service levels.
The committee has requested a response from Royal Mail by Monday, March 2.
In related news, Royal Mail hit with £21m fine after missing 2024/25 delivery targets
