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Performance of Royal Mail

Performance against targets

Over 2020/21 Royal Mail fell notably below their target levels in many areas – for example delivering 74.7% of First Class mail the next working day, compared with its normal target of 93%.   Complaints to Royal Mail were also up.

Royal Mail and Ofcom, the postal regulator, have agreed that pandemic constitutes an emergency situation.  This means that Royal Mail have more freedom in relation to their targets.

The pandemic

Royal Mail’s performance has been significantly affected by the pandemic, including because of:

• Significantly increased volumes of parcels – up around a third year on year
• The introduction of social distancing measures making a different to operations – for example moving from two to one colleagues per delivery van
• High levels of absences in certain areas, including because of illness, shielding and self-isolation.

In response the company hired additional staff and vehicles, changed shifts and altered procedures.