Royal Mail, the United Kingdom’s iconic postal service, is poised to end Saturday second-class letter deliveries nationwide by December 2026, marking the most significant overhaul of its Universal Service in decades. The move, announced on April 16, 2026, comes after a protracted dispute with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) and follows a string of financial challenges and regulatory pressures that have dogged the company in recent years.
For generations, Britons have relied on Royal Mail’s promise of six-day-a-week deliveries, a hallmark of its Universal Service Obligation (USO). But now, second-class letters—long the backbone of everyday correspondence—will no longer be delivered on Saturdays. Instead, these deliveries will be rescheduled to alternate weekdays, a shift that Royal Mail insists is essential for its long-term sustainability. According to The Independent, the reforms will initially extend to 240 delivery offices as part of a broader trial, with the full 1,200-office network adopting the new schedule by year’s end.
The agreement with the CWU, which represents tens of thousands of postal workers, ends months of tense negotiations and industrial unrest. Under the new arrangement, second-class and other non-first-class letters will be delivered every other weekday, Monday to Friday, with Royal Mail aiming to deliver within three working days. Bulk business letters—such as bills and statements—will also shift to a three-day delivery target, aligning with the second-class timetable. The changes mean, for example, that a second-class letter posted on Monday will arrive on Thursday, while one posted on Wednesday won’t reach its destination until the following Monday, as reported by Express.
First-class post, however, will continue to be delivered six days a week, maintaining the longstanding tradition of Saturday service for urgent correspondence. Royal Mail’s chief executive, Alistair Cochrane, described the agreement as a turning point. “This agreement with the CWU paves the way for Universal Service reform rollout and represents a significant investment in our people. Moving ahead with reform will make a real difference to Royal Mail’s quality of service, supporting the delivery of a reliable, efficient and financially sustainable postal service for our customers across the UK,” Cochrane said, according to PA and other outlets.
The reforms are not just about delivery schedules. The deal with the CWU introduces a 4.75% pay rise for employees who joined on or after December 1, 2022, and a 3% salary increase for those on legacy contracts. New hires will be offered contracts based on a standard 37-hour working week, a shift designed to modernize employment terms and bring greater stability to the workforce. Additionally, around 6,000 part-time postal workers will have the opportunity to increase their average weekly hours—a move that the union says will improve job security and flexibility.
For many workers, these changes represent a hard-won victory after months of uncertainty. The CWU, in a message to its members, emphasized the importance of the agreement not only in securing better pay and conditions but also in shaping the future of the postal service. “It is now imperative that all branches, representatives and members have the opportunity and time to fully consider this agreement properly, not only on the basis of how we have moved the company significantly on all the key issues, but also in its wider context around why USO reform is necessary and why we must shift our focus to changing the role of Ofcom and create a level playing field with our competitors,” the union stated.
The backdrop to these reforms is a rapidly changing postal landscape. Letter volumes have plummeted from a peak of 20 billion in 2004-05 to just 6.6 billion in 2023-24, while revenues have more than halved from £6.9 billion to £3.7 billion since 2008. Despite a series of stamp price hikes—including an increase earlier this month to £1.80 for first-class and 91p for second-class—Royal Mail recorded losses of £348 million in the last financial year. The company’s struggles have been compounded by repeated fines from regulator Ofcom for failing to meet delivery targets, including a £10.5 million penalty in 2024, as highlighted by PA.
Ofcom, the UK’s postal regulator, has approved Royal Mail’s plans to scale back second-class deliveries, starting with a pilot in 35 offices last July. Yet, the nationwide rollout was delayed by disagreements with the union, only resolved after intensive talks began in February 2026. The regulator estimates that the new delivery schedule could save Royal Mail between £250 million and £425 million annually—a lifeline for a service under mounting financial strain.
Not everyone is convinced the reforms go far enough. Consumer group Citizens Advice has been sharply critical of Royal Mail’s performance, citing a “woeful track record of failing to meet delivery targets, all the while ramping up postage costs.” Tom MacInnes, the group’s director of policy, argued that Ofcom had “missed a major opportunity to bring about meaningful change.” Meanwhile, MPs have voiced concerns that parcels are being prioritized over letters, with some Royal Mail workers reportedly told to leave important documents, such as doctors’ and hospital letters, on racks in order to focus on parcel deliveries. Royal Mail’s owner, Daniel Kretinsky, has denied any management directive to prioritize parcels, insisting the service cannot be fixed until the USO is reformed.
Under the current Universal Service Obligation, Royal Mail is required to deliver first-class post Monday through Saturday and to maintain a three-working-day target for second-class letters. The company has argued that the changes to second-class deliveries are necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the letter service, especially as digital communication continues to erode traditional mail volumes.
For customers, the end of Saturday second-class deliveries will mean adjusting expectations—no more waiting for the post on weekends for that birthday card or bill. But Royal Mail insists the reforms are vital to maintaining a reliable and efficient service for the future. The company’s leadership is betting that, with union support and regulatory backing, these changes will put Royal Mail on firmer financial footing and allow it to better compete in an era dominated by e-commerce and rapid parcel delivery.
As the reforms are rolled out over the coming months, all eyes will be on Royal Mail to see whether it can deliver on its promises—both to its customers and to the thousands of postal workers who keep the nation’s mail moving, come rain or shine.