Royal Mail Industrial Action Update: What Customers Should Expect This Week

Several scheduled days of industrial action will affect some Royal Mail services this week. While the network remains operational, customers should anticipate delays to non-priority delivery windows and possible rescheduling of collections.

Summary of the disruption

Action is scheduled on selected days across different regions. Postal centres in high-traffic urban areas are most likely to be affected. Key impacts include:

• Delays to Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 services in impacted localities.
• Reduced availability of same-day or next-day collections for business accounts.
• Potential backlog and longer handling times for international dispatches.

What Royal Mail is doing

Royal Mail confirms contingency measures including staff redeployment and prioritising urgent and medical-related deliveries. However, contingency does not fully replicate normal staffing levels, so some delays are inevitable.

Advice for senders

1. Ship early: If possible, drop parcels off at a Post Office branch before the strike day.
2. Allow extra lead time: Add 2–5 business days for non-priority services.
3. Use tracked and signed services: They provide better visibility if delays occur.
4. Communicate with customers: If you sell online, update your shipping timelines and FAQ to avoid cancellations and complaints.

Impact on business customers

Businesses that rely on daily pickups should temporarily adjust fulfilment schedules or arrange alternative carriers. Some third-party logistics providers are offering short-term pickup capacity in affected areas.

Compensation and customer rights

If a paid-for service misses its guaranteed time, claim processes remain available where a guarantee exists. Royal Mail's customer service will publish guidance on compensation for eligible customers.

How to track your parcel during disruption

Use the Royal Mail tracking portal or app. For commercial clients, business portals show bulk tracking. Expect more scan events labelled as "delayed" or "awaiting processing"—these indicate the parcel is in the network but not moving as quickly as usual.

Final practical checklist

• Check local branch opening times before visiting.
• Notify buyers of potential delays when orders are placed.
• Consider temporary alternatives for urgent shipments (courier or local collection points).

We will update this page as new information becomes available from Royal Mail and union statements. For now, careful planning and clear communication with customers remain the best ways to reduce disruption from industrial action.