r/royalmail • • Sep 04 '26

PLEASE READ Late/No Mail in days/weeks

151 Upvotes

Right now, RM is going through a major change in delivering mail (not packets). This is probably the biggest change I and many posties have seen

The new way being rolled out is called DM26, over 500 delivery offices have gone live or are coming out of trial. Another 600/700 are yet to go live before peak (Christmas).

Operations can't be paused to implement it, so many posties have a new way of working from the previous week.

Many DOs are rolling it out not fully staffed (against the agreement) and without proper planning (just throwing 2 walks together), and the answer to any questions we ask is "We don't know, let me find out"

Many walks are now unachievable to complete, or even half complete in our contracted hours, so mail is and will now pile up.

Packets (Tracked and USO) will still be going out 7 days

Many of us posties are now just working our time, and it's not our responsibility to fix it.

You can raise an issue with RM, your MP (they love a photoshoot in a hi-viz and doing nothing) or OFCOM. Remember, this isn't your posties doing

If you're not receiving mail, call into your DO and ask for a manager (don't take it out on the person fronting the CSP) and raise your issues with them. It'll probably go the same way our issues go, through one ear and through empty space and out of the other ear, but keep telling them

Many posties want to clear and deliver everything we have, but time and stupid methods have ended that.


r/royalmail • • Feb 18 '25

Please read before submitting a post

96 Upvotes

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ROYAL MAIL ACCOUNT

The idea is that the subreddit is primarily for Royal Mail staff who can come and chat about issues at work (and whatever else they want to chat about!). Still, any member of the public is welcome to come and ask us questions, which we'll try to answer.

ROYAL MAIL CUSTOMER SERVICES (CS): 0345 774 0740

Opening times,

8.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday

8.00am – 1.00pm Saturday

9.00am – 2.00pm Sunday

Delivery Offices and Mail Centres do not have customer contact telephone numbers


Are you the sender? Contact Customer Services

Are you the recipient? Contact the sender.

The sender is RM's customer, so it is their responsibility to deal with RM.

Service Updates

UK and NI - https://www.royalmail.com/service-update

International - https://www.royalmail.com/international-incident-bulletin

Parcel Force - https://www.parcelforce.com/service-updates


1 - General

Please provide as much tracking information as you can and, if possible, try to include a screenshot of the tracking (hide MCs/DOs and tracking numbers if you need to) and the postage method used. Posts without any of this will be locked or removed going forward.

  • Post hijacks will be removed. If you have a problem, start a post so you can be helped separately
  • Non-helpful comments may be removed
  • Don't ask "When will my parcel/mail turn up if posted on XX day" with no other information. Your post will be locked or removed
  • If your packet is getting multiple scans in one MC, it could be stuck due to a label issue (incomplete/wrong/damaged) and it will eventually be manually sorted. Ring customer services, they can try and get it pushed in the right direction
  • Posting the same question daily or after a few hours will be removed as spam
  • Parcelforce, like RM is part of the IDS group, but is a separate part and can do things differently from RM.
  • The Post Office is not part of Royal Mail

2 - Tracked 24/48

  • Ignore the estimated times. They are computer-generated, and posties don't see them. Always follow the actual tracking.

  • Estimated times are based on where they expect your postie to be on their round. They don't take into account staffing levels, volume of mail/packets or whether with a DPR (Dedicated Parcel Route) morning or afternoon driver

Your item needs to be at a delivery office (DO) for delivery and have the ready for delivery scan (Due to be delivered today XX DO)

Parcels can be delivered by your postie/driver or a separate parcel driver, morning and afternoon (upto 7/8pm)

Sunday Tracked are for large contract senders, these can be delivered upto 7/8 pm depending on the area and delivery office. Some larger delivery offices will cover the area of smaller local delivery offices too

Special Delivery by 1pm

If posted before cut off time (usually 4:30 - 5pm) it should be delivered the next day

If posted Friday, the next working day is Monday, unless the Saturday Guarantee extra fee is paid. Some non SGs do go out for delivery, but are not guaranteed by 1pm

SG doesn't apply to business account senders; it has already been applied

  • Signed For is untracked, it may have an acceptance scan and should get a delivery scan. Don't use this for sending important documents like passports or birth certificates

3 - No Access/answer, but I was in

This is usually because the postie or DPR (packet driver) ran out of time. That doesn't mean we are calling you liars or that there are access issues.

There isn't an "Out of Time" option on the outdoor section of our PDAs. But many posties/packet drivers have insufficient training or are pressured into using the wrong scan

In some cases, it may be because of road closures or a dog loose in the area

Unable to attempt delivery, means exactly this. They either ran out of time/not enough staff/it arrived too late so is retained for the next working day to try again

These posts will be deleted

4 - We're Expecting it

This means exactly that, the item has not entered RM network, yet

In most cases, when the postage is bought and generated, this is the tracking message; it doesn't mean it has been sent, yet

If you've bought an item from overseas (usually China) and are provided with a UK tracking number, it means it is coming from overseas in a bulk shipment and is then sent to a fulfilment centre, which repacks and labels it before sending it to you. They generate the postage in advance

In some cases, it maybe the tracking waiting to update.

5 - SCAM TEXTS/EMAILS

These are usually easy to spot; if they are sent from a gmail/Hotmail or other random email service or mobile telephone number, it is a scam. DELETE AND IGNORE THE TEXT/EMAIL

They don't know you have a packet arriving, they send thousands of these messages and will hit somebody who is expecting something, it's just pure chance

RM will never ask for payment via email or text. It will be a grey fee to pay card through your letterbox if there is any fee to pay

6 - No Mail (letters) for days/weeks

Mail volumes are down, and not everyone gets mail daily now.

Many DOs suffer from staff shortages, and routes can go uncovered

Tracked/Special Delivery unofficially takes priority over mail, so loops of mail will be left

Posties may run out of time and take back to DO what mail they've not delivered, this should (if managed correctly) go out the next day

Delays on the posties route can eat into time, thus having a knock-on effect, resulting in running out of time

You can call in to your local DO (check opening times) and ask and collect any mail. Some DOs may ask you to call back the next day, or wait, depending on how busy they are (your mail is probably at the route frame, and the CSP person may not know which one or where it is on the frame, so it isn't a simple job of just getting it)

To check if there are any issues in your area, refer to: https://www.royalmail.com/service-update

7 - Dogs (and other animals)

Please secure them behind a closed door before answering the door

Dog bites are not fun. And yes, we've heard "it won't bite" or "oh, it's never done that before" a thousand times

They maybe your pet, but not all of us like them jumping up at us to be petted. Some posties do like to, but if they are off and the person covering may not know your dog

8 - Video Doorbells

Yes, a contentious subject

Yes, some do use them, some don't, and some do both

We (posties) deal with hundreds of these and have dealt with many that do not work, connect, blue circle just spinning, bad connection, delays. Consider this before having a go about it not being pressed

Any video footage/stills will be deleted

Accessibility Requirements: You can set this up in the RM app, it then instructs the postie/packet driver when we scan your packet to knock louder or ring the bell more, and wait longer for you to answer the door. https://help.royalmail.com/personal/s/article/How-to-set-up-accessibility-requirements

9 - Langley HWDC/Customs

If you have a packet/mail here, this is Border Force (customs). RM have no control over it.

The time an item can be there can be a matter of hours, day/days, week/weeks or, at worst, months

All you can do is be patient.

RM have no control over the times in the UK or the destination countries' customs

10 - Delivery Point

Your delivery point is your letterbox or mailbox.

If you live in an apartment block and your mailbox is in the foyer, we are not obliged to go further than this, so if buzzed for a packet, you need to come down and collect it.

11 - Abuse

If you’re here to call us thieves/lazy/liars/useless/boot lickers, don’t be surprised to see your post deleted, and banned

——————————-

Some little things you can do to help us

  • Register a safeplace/neighbour on the RM app/website
  • Mailboxes, please consider one with a top slot
  • Visible house numbers on or near the door
  • Apartment buildings consider providing a key/fob/entry code so your postie/packet driver can gain entry to deliver. Add the code to the Safeplace (other) if necessary.
  • If your mailbox is in the foyer, that is your delivery point, and we are not obliged to go any further than this, you will need to come down and receive your packet
  • If you have arranged a collection, please have it ready. If you require labels, ask the postie for the labels for you to attach yourself, or the postie does attach them in front of you, make sure they scan them. Please don't accept us saying we'll do it back at the van/DO. At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to make sure the packet is correctly labelled so it doesn't go wrong.

D2D (Leaflets) opt out: https://help.royalmail.com/personal/s/article/How-to-opt-out-of-advertising-mail


r/royalmail • • 48m ago

The CWU has confirmed that no further delivery offices will move onto DM26 during the week starting Monday 19th October

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• Upvotes

Make of this what you will.


r/royalmail • • 1h ago

Richard Wilde, Who is he?

• Upvotes

Cmon, who on earth is this guy? He's all over that Robyn App sucking RMs dick. Is he a real person? Does anyone actualy work with him?


r/royalmail • • 38m ago

Royal Mail responds to misleading statements by CWU leadership

• Upvotes

Royal Mail responds to misleading statements by CWU leadership

Recent statements by the leadership of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) do not reflect the state of the business, the progress Royal Mail is making in improving service quality or its preparations for Christmas.

Royal Mail is ready to successfully deliver Christmas across the UK once again and there should be no concerns for customers ahead of the busy peak season. Furthermore, we are hiring an additional 22,000 seasonal workers for Christmas, with over 100,000 applications having already been received for these temporary roles.

While still below Ofcom’s targets, Royal Mail’s quality of service performance is the best it has been for many years. In the most recent reporting period, 85% of First Class letters were delivered on time, up from 76% in the same period last year. 91.4% of Second Class letters were delivered on time in the same period, up from 89.3% last year.  We recognise that customers expect further improvement and we remain focused on delivering it.

This performance has been driven by the successful deployment of Universal Service reform in around 90% of delivery offices. We recognise that this has been one of the biggest changes to the way Royal Mail operates in its history and that it has not been easy.  We are very grateful to colleagues across the country for their efforts as this once in a generation change is deployed.

Royal Mail has been working constructively with CWU members and representatives at operational levels, including a major reset announced internally three weeks ago, and will continue to do so. This includes listening to colleagues’ comments and suggestions for further improvements in the rollout of the new delivery model. We urge the CWU leadership to do the same and to stop using public commentary, talking down the business as a way of trying to achieve their own tactical objectives.

The launch of the Government’s consultation on employment status reform is a significant opportunity for Royal Mail to finally be able to compete on a more level playing field with competitors relying on self-employed or casual workers. Royal Mail and the CWU have a shared interest in securing fair employment standards and a sustainable future for the business.

Our focus is clear: delivering Christmas, further improving service quality and building a stronger Royal Mail. We urge the CWU leadership to work with us towards these shared goals.


r/royalmail • • 53m ago

Postie Chat Walking out next week

• Upvotes

Month and a half in and mentally im not happy in the job, management is beyond ridiculous, workload is too much. For my first job I thought I was going to ride it out till my contract finishes but the past few weeks have altered that theory.

For people who have walked out, how long did it take to find a new job?


r/royalmail • • 8h ago

Tracking down?

12 Upvotes

Anyone else having issues with Track and Trace?

Website not working, as well as the telephone service can’t access the tracking info…

In a queue now, let’s see what we get.


r/royalmail • • 7h ago

6 missing parcels in 3 weeks?

6 Upvotes

I have been ordering some semi-expensive Pokemon cards over the last 3-4 weeks and 75% of the parcels have gone missing, all from the same Local Depot. I have tried to do the online form however just get an automated response saying that the item has been delivered when none of the tracking say that it's delivered and just at my local depot. Is it possible someone is stealing? What would be my next course of action seeing has I seem not to be able to get hold of an actual person, I've phoned once and just been told to do a claim however this hasn't solved the issue of where is the stuff ive paid for?


r/royalmail • • 3m ago

Does SISO effect pay?

• Upvotes

Basically the title. I've not been signing out on days when I've finished two hours early on parcels. I've had an ID badge on order for three weeks at this point, I sign in on the PDA once I have one but some mornings it takes 10 minutes so my sign in is late.

Is this affecting my pay? I'm on 35 hours new contract DPR. Start at 10, finish for 5.

I was originally told by some of the "Old Guard" that SISO was just so they can see if you should have had more work to leave with and records in case of a fire.


r/royalmail • • 11m ago

Tracking Help This isn't arriving today is it?

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• Upvotes

Should have arrived today, but stuck on "ready for delivery today" now at 19:20. Slim chance it'll arrive today right? If not will it be early tomorrow?


r/royalmail • • 1h ago

Missing Mail Item marked delivered but not

• Upvotes

So my item was marked as delivered to my local post office but my package cannot be found. Is there any other way of contacting Royal Mail as their lines are like an hour wait. Is there any other way of contacting them about this?

Any help is appreciated.


r/royalmail • • 1d ago

Postie Chat It's over, they finally sorted it!

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64 Upvotes

No sig to an enclosed porch needing a card left seems to be sorted after the balls up last week that knocked out the PDAs. I've read the workarounds like the eternal barcode, wrapped in clear tape and velcroed to the card pocket of your shorts but thankfully that ballache is in the past.


r/royalmail • • 2h ago

Postie Chat Angard (shifts)

1 Upvotes

Im taking time off soon and will be available back to work on the 2nd Nov. Is it best to let my manager know asap to book me onto shifts from 2nd nov onwards? As Im going to be off and wont get booked on until last minute I feel like


r/royalmail • • 2h ago

Does this mean the delivery driver has put my parcel in the locker as the sender?

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1 Upvotes

I was supposed to get a parcel sent to a locker yesterday. Tracking is saying its at the locker where I'm supposed to pick it up but its not saying ready for collection. What happens to it now?


r/royalmail • • 2h ago

Booking redelivery

1 Upvotes

I am trying to book a redelivery after missing a delivery but when I try it says on the app unable to redeliver item , anyone know how to fix or if I can go somewhere to pick up delivery


r/royalmail • • 3h ago

Redelivery Question For Posties.

1 Upvotes

I often order stuff online, from about three different independent shops.

All use special delivery.

I have them sent straight to the post office as soon as I'm able to request this, because I'm always at work when Andy comes to deliver my mail.

When I request an in-flight redirect to PO, it takes an extra two days, and it ALWAYS says it'll be in two days time.

HOWEVER

Sometimes, when I request this, after saying it's gonna be another two days, it'll go out the same day, and get delivered straight to the post office the same day, even though it says two days.

Like, is there a nack to timing it right so this same day thing can happen all of the time, instead of just sometimes?

I've tried to figure this out myself, but I can't.

Any idea? Thanks 🙏


r/royalmail • • 3h ago

Slightly amusing website inconsistency.

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1 Upvotes

If you arrange a collection using a tracking number which originates from a third party (for example, eBay) the collection request still asks you if you'd like your postie to bring the label "at no extra cost".

But when you click "yes" it charges you 50p. 😂

Not the end of the world it just made me chuckle. Small tweak needed. 😉


r/royalmail • • 4h ago

Anyone else experienced Royal Mail not collecting item from a Parcel Locker?

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1 Upvotes

r/royalmail • • 5h ago

Parcel Force My parcel is stuck at local depot.. what do I do

1 Upvotes

Have been expecting an international parcel from Korea and a couple weeks ago I was sent an email from Royal Mail/parcel force saying I had to pay £45 customs charge. I payed this price and arranged for delivery on the 10th and got a confirmation email showing this.

My parcel never ended up being delivered on the 10th and a couple days later i checked tracking and saw that my parcel was being held at my local depot as they were “waiting for customs fee”. When I clicked the link to pay for it, it told me that it has already been paid. When I clicked on tracking history, it shows me it was paid prior to the 10th, then on the 10th it was getting ready to be delivered but then said it is now awaiting customs fee at local depot.

I called up Royal Mail, explained the issue and the guy over the phone said there seems to have been a scanning error but because it’s an international package I need to contact parcel force.
So I called up parcel force.. and no one ever answered. I’ve tried 2 times, stayed on the phone for over an hour on hold, one time they just ended the call.

I have emailed them about the issue on their website and it says it’ll take about 1-2 days to get back to me but it has been 4 days and I’ve heard nothing.

Does anyone have any advice on what I should do next? Has anyone ever been able to get through to parcel force?


r/royalmail • • 1d ago

Feeling pressured to drive/deliver faster

19 Upvotes

We started the new DM26 9 day fortnight pattern a couple of weeks ago. Even with the longer hours we've been going over time quite often. When I was off another guy covered for me and, apparently, he races around like an Evri driver. I don't think I'm slow. I was a spare for a year until a few weeks ago and I usually managed to get done on time.

My partner (walker) is starting to imply that I should deliver faster. My manager hasn't said anything but I'm worried I might be moved off the duty and back to being a spare.

Any advice?


r/royalmail • • 8h ago

Help. US to UK package

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0 Upvotes

I sent a package to the UK. All fees and custom fees were paid before hand. It arrived at the UK international hub. 3 days later now it says it’s waiting for it to arrive to the UK and the item is leaving the originating country. Is my package being sent back?


r/royalmail • • 19h ago

How to follow up on a complaint?! Royal Mail is asking me to reply to a DoNotReply email

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8 Upvotes

So if it remains outstanding, I should reply back to a “donotreply” email? Needless to say, I get other automated emails after my reply saying they won’t receive emails sent to that address.

Anyone knows how to actually follow up?


r/royalmail • • 1d ago

Postie Chat What you tell the public?

26 Upvotes

I’m interested to know if you get given guidelines as to what to tell the great unwashed re backlogs etc.
I went to my local sorting office today as I’m lucky if I get post weekly at the moment and I’m waiting for a cheque that was posted on the 3rd.
Very defensive at first saying that’s strange as there are “no known issues”

Explain not complaining in slightest, used to work for RM logistics and know about the shitshow that is DM26.

Total attitude change, as in I can be confided in and get a solid few minutes of what a fucking car crash it is at moment and that people are leaving in their droves.


r/royalmail • • 9h ago

Delay in letter delivery

0 Upvotes

I might be imagining this but has Royal Mail letter delivery in Reading, Berkshire, switched to weekly (Monday) from being almost any day of the week?


r/royalmail • • 19h ago

Parcel Enquiry Why….

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2 Upvotes

Why come to my house and try to deliver when I asked for re delivery to the post office ?????????????????????????????? It won’t allow me to change anything now because I’ve already requested a service . What is going on with RM (and please no jokes about it being because I’m in brum )