The postal operator says the revised system is intended to provide a more reliable and sustainable service as letter volumes continue to decline. First-class letters, parcel deliveries and the one-price-goes-anywhere service will remain unchanged.
Royal Mail has started informing households about the changes by delivering leaflets explaining how the new timetable will work. The leaflet states that customers may notice a different pattern for second-class letter deliveries over the coming months, describing the change as part of an effort to adapt the service to the way people send mail today.
Under the revised arrangements, second-class letters and cards will no longer be delivered on Saturdays. Instead, deliveries will take place on alternate weekdays, while Royal Mail says it will continue to aim for delivery within three working days.
New Second-Class Delivery Timetable Removes Saturday Service
The updated delivery pattern means second-class mail will be delivered every other weekday. According to Royal Mail, one week will follow a Monday, Wednesday and Friday schedule, while the next will switch to Tuesday and Thursday deliveries.
Although the delivery target remains three working days, the revised schedule changes when some letters are expected to arrive. A letter posted on Monday is expected to be delivered on Thursday, while one posted on Tuesday is expected on Friday. Mail posted on Wednesday is expected to arrive on Monday, and letters posted on Thursday are expected on Tuesday.
Items posted on Friday or Saturday are expected to be delivered on Wednesday, while letters posted on Sunday are expected on Thursday. As a result, letters sent later in the week may experience a longer gap because second-class deliveries will no longer take place on Saturdays.
According to the information issued by Royal Mail, a standard second-class letter stamp continues to cost 91p, while the standard compensation available for loss or damage remains £20.
Universal Service Reforms Underpin the Changes
Royal Mail says the revised delivery arrangements follow reforms to the Universal Service announced by Ofcom in July 2025 after what it described as an extensive consultation involving multiple stakeholders.
According to Royal Mail, the Universal Service Obligation had required the company to collect and deliver letters to every UK address six days a week for many years. The company says that, although letters remain an important means of communication, the volume of letters being sent has declined, prompting changes intended to support a more reliable and sustainable postal service.
The company also confirmed that several parts of its service will remain unchanged. First-class letters will continue to be delivered six days a week from Monday to Saturday, while customers will still be able to choose between first and second class for both letters and parcels.
Royal Mail also says its one-price-goes-anywhere service across the UK will continue, and parcel deliveries will still operate for up to seven days a week. According to the company, the changes affect only the delivery schedule for second-class letters and cards as the revised system is introduced across the UK during 2026.
