The debate follows a rise in complaints about irregular deliveries and delayed letters with important correspondence arriving too late to act on. Royal Mail has now missed its statutory delivery targets for three consecutive years. It is required to deliver 93 percent of First-Class letters the next working day and 98.5 percent of Second-Class letters within three days, yet it continues to fall short and has faced fines from Ofcom.
At the same time, stamp prices have continued to increase, with a First-Class stamp now costing £1.80 after seven rises in four years.
Local data shows the scale of the issue. In Exeter, only 71 percent of First-Class post is arriving the next working day, well below the national target. During the debate, David raised concerns about the lack of transparency around delays and said confidence in the service had been seriously undermined.
He also drew attention to the pressure on postal workers, including larger delivery rounds and a growing focus on parcel delivery at the expense of letters.
Sharing cases from across Exmouth and Exeter East, he highlighted that local people faced waiting up to 10 or 11 days for post, with some missing financial deadlines or waiting for essential documents such as hospital appointments and DVLA letters.
Speaking in the debate, David Reed said:
“If there was one word to sum it all up, it would be trust. Trust in the Royal Mail service and in an institution that has been a constant in British life for over 500 years. But we all know that that trust is waning.
Prices have increased, but the service has gone down. That is completely unacceptable.”
He added:
“Royal Mail is not just a company; it is a British national institution. Be proactive. Communicate clearly what you are doing to improve the service. Most importantly, begin an honest national conversation with the British public about what they can expect. Only then can trust begin to be rebuilt.”
