Speaking on BBC Morning Live, Colletta Smith said postmen have been in touch about delays (Image: BBC)
A BBC expert has shed light on the frustrating reason why people’s post is failing to arrive on time. Appearing on BBC Morning Live, Colletta Smith revealed that Royal Mail is facing intense scrutiny after falling short of its delivery targets.
She explained that postal workers have been contacting the BBC directly, revealing that the delays stem from their own internal priorities — with letters being pushed down the pecking order. Ms Smith said: “We’ve had so many posties getting in touch with us at BBC, your voice, pleased that we’re covering the issue and delighted to tell us what’s happening behind the scenes in their offices because it’s spread right the way across the UK.
“They’ve been telling me about understaffing in their areas, about when someone goes on holiday or off sick, there just being no replacement. They’ve been saying they’re still being told to prioritise parcels, and that means that they literally don’t have time to take the mail out. They should be taking out a full round each day. Often, they can just take some of it or none of it, or they take it out with them in the full knowledge that they’re not going to be able to deliver it and bring it back because what they have to do first is get all the parcels out.
“Lots of them are just saying, as a result, those rounds simply aren’t being delivered, and that even the new changes that Royal Mail say are introducing the posties are telling me simply aren’t working at the moment.”
Ofcom has launched an investigation into Royal Mail’s failure to meet its delivery targets over the past year, the regulator has confirmed. Under the watchdog’s guidelines, 90% of first-class mail should arrive the following day, while 95% of second-class mail should be delivered within three days.
Yet Royal Mail revealed last week that it had fallen short of its targets for another consecutive year, managing to deliver just 75.7% of first-class mail by the next working day over the 12 months to the end of March, according to its latest quality of service report.
This represented a marginal decline from the 76.3% recorded the previous year. For second-class mail, 90.2% was delivered within three working days — again falling short of the 92.2% figure achieved the year before.
Regarding what consumers can do to address the issue, she said: “If you’ve posted something of value, then there are ways that you can potentially get that money back. So, Royal Mail say for first and second class post if the item hasn’t been delivered by the due date plus an extra 10 working days, then it’s the sender who might be able to reclaim or claim compensation for them. So, the minimum that you need for a claim is the full address of both you and the person you’re sending it to, the amount of postage that you paid for it, where the letter or the parcel was posted, the item reference number, a description of the content.
“Now, if you’ve just stuck a stamp on a letter and popped it in a box, you’re not going to have that proof of posting. If you’ve taken it to a post office, bought the stamp there, they they will give you a receipt. So, this isn’t a tracking number. It’s not a way that you can follow up where exactly your letter is, but it just is proof that you definitely posted it. So, hang on to those receipts if you’re going to a post office.”
She noted that 74 postcodes are listed on the Royal Mail website as being the most severely affected by postal delays. ‘See if your postcode is one of the areas listed because that might help you understand perhaps why you’re not getting post or it’s not being delivered as regularly’.
She went on to explain how the issue is causing real disruption to people’s daily lives: “I’ve heard from people saying their, uh, house signing deals have been delayed when contracts haven’t come through on time. But then there’s all the emotional side of it as well. Because for most of us actually when we send something through the post it’s because of a bereavement, because of a birthday, because of something that you’re trying to celebrate.
“You’re just wanting to express something to somebody. And when that doesn’t turn up, it’s really disappointing. ” Last July, Ofcom “modernised” requirements imposed on Royal Mail to reflect sharp falls in the volume of letters being posted, permitting second-class letters to be delivered on alternate weekdays amongst adjustments to delivery targets. Royal Mail anticipated completing its rollout of the new delivery model by Christmas, Ofcom said.
While Royal Mail was now making progress, it had taken almost a year to begin the process of implementing the delivery reforms and service levels remained unacceptable, the regulator added.
Ofcom enforcement director Ian Strawhorne said: “A reliable postal service is vital to many people across the country. “We share the deep frustrations of customers who have missed important letters because of Royal Mail’s consistent failure to improve its service over the years.
“While the company is now making progress through its improvement plan, we will continue to hold it to account for its unacceptable performance to date.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “Improving quality of service is a top priority and we are delivering a major programme of change through the rollout of our new delivery model which underpins our Improvement Plan, backed by £500 million of investment over five years.
“These reforms are designed to deliver long-term quality improvements for customers as we modernise the postal service and deploy the new delivery model, enabled by the changes to the Universal Service regulations that Ofcom introduced in July 2025.
“At a time when significant investment is being made to improve reliability across the network, any financial penalty would reduce funding that could otherwise be used to support service improvements for customers. We will engage fully with Ofcom throughout their investigation.”
BBC Your Voice correspondent Colletta Smith brings us the latest on postal delays, as Ofcom launched a new investigation into Royal Mail.
She explains your rights if a letter or parcel doesn’t arrive on time — and who to complain to.
Watch https://t.co/wtHyyA4jkD pic.twitter.com/nmv4VzNVRq
— BBC Morning Live (@BBCMorningLive) June 17, 2026
Postcodes where there are currently problems:
- Abertillery DO (NP13)
- Altens DO (AB10, AB11, AB12, AB35)
- Ashington DO (NE22, NE62-NE64)
- Banbury DO (OX15, OX16, OX17)
- Bedford DO (MK40, MK41, MK42, MK43, MK44, MK45)
- Belfast South and Central DO (BT1, BT2, BT3, BT7, BT8, BT9)
- Bicester DO (OX25, OX26, OX27)
- Bridge Of Don DO (AB22, AB23)
- Brierley Hill DO (DY5)
- Deeside DO (CH5)
- Dudley DO (DY1, DY2, DY3)
- Eastwood DO (NG16)
- Hailsham DO (BN27)
- Ilfracombe DO (ME13)
- Johnstone DO (PA5, PA6, PA9, PA10, PA12)
- Kidsgrove DO (ST7)
- Kingswinford DO (DY6)
- Llangollen SUDO (LL20)
- North Tyneside DO (NE25-NE30)
- Northwich DO (CW8, CW9)
- Oxford East DO (OX3, OX4, OX33, OX44, OX49)
- Paisley DO (PA1-PA3)
- Pontyclun DO (CF72)
- Pontypridd DO (CF37, CF38, CF46)
- Ramsgate DO (CT11, CT12)
- Redfern Park DO (B11, B12, B25-B27)
- Sheffield North DO (S6, S35)
- Shepshed DO (LE12)
- Southam DO (CV47)
- Spalding DO (PE11, PE12)
- St Helens DO (WA9, WA10, WA11)
- Syston SPDO (LE7)
- Tipton DO (DY4)
- Tiverton DO (EX16, EX18)
- Tobermory SPDO (PA75)
- Tweedale DO (TF3, TF4 TF7, TF8, TF12)
- Wallingford DO (OX10, OX49)
- Whetstone DO (N20)
- Wolverhampton NE DO (WV11-WV12)
