Royal Mail Hike: First-Class Stamps Hit £1.80 Amid Service Outcry!

Royal Mail has come under fire for raising the prices of its first- and second-class stamps, with Citizens Advice labeling the service as subpar.

Effective from April 7, the price for a first-class stamp will rise by 10p, or 6%, reaching £1.80, while second-class stamps will see a 4p, or 5%, increase to 91p. Royal Mail attributed these price hikes to the escalating costs associated with delivering each letter.

“We take the decision to adjust prices very seriously, striving to maintain a balance between affordability and the increasing costs of mail delivery,” stated Richard Travers, Royal Mail’s Managing Director of Letters. He further noted, “There has been a 70% decline in letters sent over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, the number of addresses we serve has grown by 4 million, totaling 32 million across the UK.”

However, Anne Pardoe, head of policy at Citizens Advice, argued, “The cost of stamps should not be manipulated without clear justification to the consumers, who are already paying more for what is essentially a deteriorating service.”

In the previous autumn, Ofcom imposed a £21m fine on Royal Mail for not meeting its yearly delivery targets, marking the third occasion the 509-year-old postal entity was penalized by the regulatory body.

“It has been over half a decade since Royal Mail last met its delivery targets, and customers still face uncertainty in receiving essential mail like medical appointments on time,” Pardoe added.

Considering the recent price increments, the charity pointed out that the cost of a first-class stamp has surged by 137% since 2020, while a second-class stamp rose by 40% during the same timeframe.

Following last year’s £3.6bn acquisition of Royal Mail’s parent company by Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, Ofcom authorized a relaxation of its universal service obligation (USO). Consequently, Royal Mail is now only mandated to deliver second-class mail on alternate weekdays, rather than six days a week.

Ofcom also adjusted Royal Mail’s primary delivery targets under the new USO guidelines, which starting next month, will require the delivery of 90% of first-class mail within one working day (down from 93%), and 95% of second-class mail within three days (down from 98.5%).

“With the impending cuts to delivery days and the lowering of performance targets, the situation is likely to worsen,” Pardoe stated. “In this context, Ofcom must not simply permit these price increases without a corresponding improvement in service quality.”

According to research conducted by Citizens Advice, Royal Mail’s delay in delivering Christmas letters and parcels affected approximately 16 million people.