Some 31 million Britons have been hit by postal over Christmas as Royal Mail “let customers down for a 3rd yr working,” Residents Recommendation stated.
Some 60% of UK adults skilled delayed publish, with some nonetheless receiving festive playing cards effectively into the brand new yr, a survey for the charity suggests.
Some 11% – an estimated 3.2 million – stated they missed an vital doc, equivalent to an insurance coverage letter or authorized doc, and eight% – an estimated 2.1 million – stated they missed a well being appointment.
Residents Recommendation stated it was the third festive interval in a row when it had known as on the Royal Mail to enhance its efficiency.
It beforehand discovered that 28% of individuals skilled letter delays between mid-December 2021 and mid-January 2022 and 31% have been left ready in January 2021, suggesting “deep-seated issues at play” regardless of postal strikes affecting efficiency this yr.
The survey discovered that just about 1 / 4 of individuals (23%) turned to costlier methods of sending mail, equivalent to Particular Supply Assured, throughout Christmas 2022. Nevertheless, 39% of those that did so nonetheless confronted delays, regardless of paying additional.
Royal Mail has an obligation as Common Service Supplier to ship mail on time, however it’s exempt from its targets across the Christmas interval.
Residents Recommendation has now known as on regulator Ofcom to analyze Royal Mail’s efficiency lately and to “assume once more about not holding the agency to account over its efficiency in the course of the festive interval.”
It has additionally urged Royal Mail to scrap any additional stamp value rises “at a time when efficiency is so poor.”
Residents Recommendation chief government Dame Clare Moriarty stated: “For a 3rd yr working, Royal Mail has let customers down. Letter delays have actual and worrying penalties, particularly when individuals miss medical appointments or get payments late.
“Royal Mail’s digital monopoly on letters signifies that Ofcom must take motion to guard customers from additional hurt. It should examine Royal Mail’s tradition of poor efficiency and cease letting the corporate off the hook over the festive season.”
Yonder surveyed 4,148 UK adults between January 6 and 10.
