Royal Mail has issued a fresh warning to households across the UK, confirming that significant delivery disruptions mean Christmas cards and parcels are not guaranteed to arrive on time in dozens of areas.
Christmas Delivery Guarantees Suspended in Dozens of Areas
In an update released this afternoon, the postal service admitted that a combination of high levels of staff sickness and other localised issues has impacted operations at delivery offices nationwide. As a result, it has published a list of 92 specific postcodes where its usual delivery guarantees are temporarily suspended.
The company stated it has brought in around 20,000 extra seasonal workers to manage the festive rush, but persistent problems in some locations have overwhelmed these efforts. For customers in the affected areas, this means vital Christmas mail may not reach its destination before December 25th.
Full List of Affected Postcodes
The areas most impacted on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st December include delivery offices across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The full list provided by Royal Mail is:
- Altens DO (AB10, AB11, AB12, AB35)
- Ashington DO (NE22, NE62, NE63, NE64)
- Belfast West DO (BT10, BT11, BT12, BT17)
- Bristol East DO (BS5)
- Brixton DO (SW2)
- Callington DO (PL17, PL18)
- Clevedon DO (BS21, BS49)
- Dundee East DO (DD4, DD5, DD7)
- Dunstable DO (LU5, LU6)
- Dursley DO (GL11, GL12, GL13)
- Dyce DO (AB21)
- Egremont DO (CA21, CA22, CA23, CA24, CA25, CA27)
- Erskine DO (PA7, PA8)
- Glasgow G52 DO (G52, G53)
- Gloucester North DO (GL3, GL4)
- Johnstone DO (PA5, PA6, PA9, PA10, PA12)
- Lichfield DO (WS7, WS13, WS14)
- Lisburn DO (BT26, BT27, BT28)
- Londonderry DO (BT47, BT48)
- Northwich DO (CW8, CW9)
- Nottingham South DO (NG2, NG12)
- Paisley DO (PA1, PA2, PA3)
- Pontefract DO (WF7, WF8, WF9, WF11)
- Renfrew DO (PA4)
- Seaham DO (SR7)
- Sleaford DO (NG34)
- St Helens DO (WA9, WA10, WA11)
- Stalybridge SUDO (SK15)
- Tipton DO (DY4)
- Warrington DO (WA1, WA2, WA4, WA5, WA55)
- Westhill DO (AB13, AB14, AB32)
- Whitehaven DO (CA18-CA20, CA26, CA28)
- Whitwood DO (WF6, WF10)
- Wigan DO (WN1-WN6)
Royal Mail's Response and Future Service Changes
In a statement, Royal Mail apologised for the inconvenience and explained its mitigation strategy. "In a small number of local offices, this may temporarily not be possible due to local issues such as high levels of sick absence, resourcing, or other local factors," a spokesperson said. "In those cases, we will rotate deliveries to minimise the delay. We also provide targeted support to those offices to address their challenges."
The company, which was taken over by new owners in 2024 under a pledge to maintain a six-day first-class service, sought to reassure the public. It emphasised that the overwhelming majority of mail is being delivered on time, and any delayed items are prioritised the following day.
Looking ahead, Royal Mail confirmed it is implementing measures to improve reliability, including hiring more permanent staff. It also plans to introduce a major change to its service model from early next year, which will see second-class Saturday deliveries scrapped and moved to other weekdays. This model is currently being tested.
Critical Last Posting Dates for Christmas
With delays already occurring, Royal Mail has reiterated its final recommended posting dates for Christmas delivery:
- Saturday 20 December: Last posting for 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For.
- Sunday 21 December: Last posting for Royal Mail Tracked 24.
- Monday 22 December: Last posting for Parcelforce Worldwide express10, expressPM, and express24 services.
- Tuesday 23 December: Final deadline for Special Delivery Guaranteed.
Customers are advised to check the Royal Mail website for regular updates on the offices most impacted and to post any remaining items as soon as possible.
