Fifteen million UK adults faced Royal Mail delays over Christmas, with four in ten forced to pay an average of £16.50 in extra costs to deal with their missing post, new research reveals.
The Citizens Advice study found nearly a third of adults were hit by disruption during the busiest postal period of the year, leading to additional expenses for alternative deliveries, replacement items, or extra travel to collect delayed mail.
The consumer charity is now demanding Ofcom take tougher action against Royal Mail, arguing current penalties are too weak to force the company to meet its legal obligations to deliver letters six days a week and parcels five days a week across Britain.
The findings pile fresh pressure on Royal Mail, which has already failed to hit regulatory delivery targets for two consecutive years. The company's struggles raise serious questions about its ability to fulfil the universal service obligation - a cornerstone commitment ensuring all UK citizens have access to affordable postal services regardless of where they live.
The Christmas chaos has hit small businesses particularly hard, alongside families sending important documents and vulnerable people depending on postal deliveries for essentials. Citizens Advice stressed that Royal Mail must face proper consequences for repeatedly failing customers, especially given its privileged position as the country's designated universal postal provider.