Citizens Advice says 16 million people had UK postal delays over Christmas 2025, the highest number in five years, according to Parcel and Postal Technology International.
At a glance
- Period
- Christmas 2025
- People affected
- 16 million across the UK
- Increase
- 50% since 2024
- Service warnings
- 92 warnings from Royal Mail
On this page
Postal delays affected 29% of UK adults
Citizens Advice says 29% of UK adults had postal delays during the Christmas peak. The number of people affected rose by 50% since 2024, according to Post & Parcel.
Of those affected, Citizens Advice says 5.7 million suffered serious consequences. These included missed health appointments.
Cards and parcels sent from Ireland
Check the carrier’s service details for your destination and the stated delivery time before choosing a posting date.
Royal Mail issued 92 warnings over Christmas about postcodes facing delayed or disrupted services. Check the recipient’s postcode when reading a service warning, so you can identify whether it covers their address.
Delivery targets and Second Class frequency
According to Parcel and Postal Technology International, Royal Mail has missed its annual First Class delivery target since 2017. It has missed its Second Class target since 2020.
Royal Mail can now deliver Second Class post every other weekday instead of six days a week. Check which service your item uses before planning around a delivery frequency.
Plan around the destination and arrival date
Write down the date your recipient needs the parcel before choosing a service. Use your parcel’s weight and destination to compare the available prices.
You can view prices by weight for Britain and Northern Ireland. Read the service details alongside the price, including the stated delivery time, before booking.
Questions
How many people had UK Christmas postal delays?
Citizens Advice says 16 million people across the UK had postal delays over Christmas 2025. That was the highest number in five years.
How much did UK Christmas postal delays increase?
Citizens Advice says the number of people affected rose by 50% since 2024. Delays affected 29% of UK adults.
Does Royal Mail still deliver Second Class post every weekday?
Royal Mail can now deliver Second Class post every other weekday instead of six days a week.
Sources
- Parcel and Postal Technology International: UK peak period postal delays worst in five years, Citizens Advice reports, read 28 January 2026
- Post & Parcel: Citizens Advice on Christmas chaos: 16 million people suffered postal delays, read 28 January 2026
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PostCompare news desk
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