Royal Mail has warned residents and businesses across the West Midlands that postal deliveries are delayed, with 17 postcodes in the region among 198 locations nationwide affected as of Friday, July 10. The delays stem from local issues including high sickness absence, resourcing challenges, and other operational factors, according to the postal service.
West Midlands Postcodes Affected
The impacted West Midlands postcodes include: Brierley Hill (DY5), Kingswinford (DY6), Stourbridge (DY7-DY9), Kidderminster (DY10-DY12, DY14), Stourport-on-Severn (DY13), Tipton (DY4), Wolverhampton NE (WV11, WV12), and Wolverhampton NW (WV6-WV9). These areas join a broader list of 198 UK postcodes experiencing disruptions.
Royal Mail's Statement on Delays
Royal Mail stated: "We aim to deliver to all addresses we have mail for, six days a week. 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." The company added that it rotates deliveries to minimise delays and provides targeted support to affected offices.
Previous Heatwave Disruptions
Last month, Royal Mail cautioned customers that post might be delayed due to a heatwave, and a further spell of hot weather is affecting the UK this week. The firm previously said: "Our posties and drivers are taking extra care in the heat to keep themselves and our customers safe... thank you for your patience if deliveries take a little longer."
Ofcom Penalty and Performance Targets
Royal Mail received a £21 million penalty from Ofcom in October after falling short of delivery targets. In 2024-2025, only 77% of First Class and 92.5% of Second Class post were delivered on time. This year, Royal Mail aims to boost First Class Next Day delivery to approximately 85% within nine months and meet a 90% target set by Ofcom within a year.
COO on Improvement Plans
Jamie Stephenson, Royal Mail's chief operating officer, said: "We're putting significant investment into improving reliability and reaching these new delivery targets, but delivering lasting change across a network of this scale takes time." He added that Universal Service reform is key to adapting the network while protecting the one-price-goes-anywhere service for the future.
Full List of Affected Postcodes
The complete list of 198 affected postcodes includes areas across the UK such as Altens DO (AB10-AB12, AB35), Ashington DO (NE22, NE62-NE64), Aylesbury DO (HP19-HP21), and many others. Royal Mail apologised for the inconvenience and thanked customers for their understanding.
