The Royal Mail will be introducing a number of important changes to the way your mail is delivered during the coronavirus.
A spokesman said: “We are seeking to deliver as comprehensive a service as possible at all times.
“We are committed to ensuring we deliver for the country. Our colleagues are keeping the mail moving – delivering letters and parcels across the UK, including to those who find it difficult to leave their homes.
“Throughout this crisis, we will continue to deliver the most comprehensive service we can to all our customers. However, as cases of coronavirus increase across the UK we, along with other organisations, are experiencing growing levels of employee absence due to illness and self-isolation.
“Absence rates are currently double what we normally expect at this time of year.
“To manage these severe absence levels – which are growing – we are implementing a range of mitigation’s.
“We are working closely with approximately 11,000 Post Offices that remain open to provide another avenue – where appropriate – for you to access essential mail services.
“Despite our best endeavours, it is likely that some areas of the country will experience a reduction in service levels due to coronavirus-related absences at their local mail centre or delivery office.
“We will continue to actively monitor this rapidly evolving crisis. We will keep talking to you. And, we will continue to focus on the delivery of our two priorities – safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our people and the communities we serve and delivering as comprehensive a service as possible at all times.
What is changing?
Customer Service Points – Temporary Change in Opening Hours
From Monday 6th April, the Royal Mail is changing the opening times of its Customer Services Points in its local delivery offices.
Largest locations will be open between 07:00-11:00am.
All other Customer Service Points will be open between 07:00-09:00am.
All will be closed on Wednesday and Sunday.
To support the Government’s advice to stay at home and avoid non-essential journeys, customers are urged to only visit Customer Service Points where absolutely necessary.
Items can be redelivered for free.
Longer retention periods in Customer Service Points
From Monday 6th April, customers will have longer to collect or have their items redelivered with the Royal Mail temporarily extending the retention period to 30 calendar days before items are returned to sender.
This applies to the following:
Items with a ‘Something for You’ card left
Items that have a ‘Surcharge to Pay’
Items that have a ‘Customs Charge to Pay’
Local Collect items where the parcel is addressed to the Customer Service Point
Changes to Special Delivery Guaranteed
For items posted guaranteed delivery for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9.00am the next working day will change to ‘by 12.00pm the next working day’.
Guaranteed delivery for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1.00pm will change to by 9.00pm the next working day.
Signing for and receiving items
The Royal Mail are looking to minimise contact during delivery.
Staff will not be handing over hand-held devices to customers to capture signatures but instead log the name of the person accepting the item.
Additionally, for all customers where staff need to deliver any item that won’t fit through your letterbox, staff will place your item at your door. Having knocked on your door, staff will then step aside to a safe distance while you retrieve your item.
This will ensure your item is delivered securely rather than being left outside.
Delivering to care homes
To support the effort to keep the mail moving but prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Royal Mail are making arrangements to deliver to a central point (e.g. reception) rather than individual addresses within care homes.
These changes will help to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of both the Royal Mail staff and also the vulnerable in society.
