Seven million people experienced a delay when sending or receiving letters in spring, a charity's report into the postal service reveals.
Those late postal service deliveries can have a “devastating impact” on people, particularly the disabled, according to Citizens Advice.
Disabled people are three times more likely to be affected by bad service, as they can miss vital deadlines for benefit applications and therefore lose out on any financial support.
Over a third of disabled people had a letter delay in the last month, whereas only 14% of those who said they don’t have any physical or mental health condition or disability experienced the same.
It could have “serious consequences” for up to 1.2 million people, the charity warns, with hospital appointments missed, fines not paid (and increasing as a consequence) and legal documents not seen until too late.
The situation has led to the charity believing the future of the postal service “hangs in the balance” unless change arrives by the regulator, Ofcom.
In terms of regions most hit by delays, the East of England takes that unwanted crown, with 22% of all delays in the UK happening there, followed by the North West, which represents 20% of the delays.
Further, the cost of sending mail is also on the rise, with current projections showing the cost of a first-class stamp, which is currently £1.35, will be 200% more expensive by 2029, based on the rate of hikes from the Royal Mail.
Citizens Advice has – for the fourth year running – called for reforms to be introduced to improve the current postal service levels.
While a reduced delivery service (potentially by half) has been mooted, Ofcom has been urged to continue the Universal Service Obligation (USO), the legal obligation whereby the Royal Mail has to deliver letters six days per week.
Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Ofcom has sat by the sidelines for far too long and allowed letter delays and poor service to become business as usual at Royal Mail. The company has now missed its annual targets for nearly half a decade.
“Reforms can’t just be a disguise for cuts – the only options put forward will water down how Royal Mail delivers our post, saving the company millions but doing nothing for consumers.
“Post continues to be an essential part of the UK’s infrastructure. Ofcom and the new Government must spell out how the revised USO will deliver for the millions who rely on it, not just for Royal Mail’s prospective new owners and bottom line.”
In response, a Royal Mail spokesperson told The Independent: “We do not recognise the conclusions Citizens Advice have drawn from a small survey sample of 2,000 people who were asked to recall experiences of letter delays and [it does] not reflect recent improvements in quality of service.”
They said that “year-on-year, our first-class quality of service has risen by over 6%, while delivery failure complaints have reduced by 45%.”
“Currently, 95% of first-class mail is arriving within two days, up from 91% at full year”, they added.