Is UK post delivery taking longer?

[Martymarta]

Not an AIBU at all but posting here for a range of opinions. I need to post a birthday card soon which I hope will arrive on the receiver's actual birthday. I know these things are never guaranteed anyway, but does anyone have experience of whether first class delivery is still expected to be next day, or longer? If relevant, I live in the same town as the receiver.

Some post is definitely taking longer just now. I recently ordered two cat igloos from different sellers on ebay, both were sent out by 2nd class post and arrived here on the same day but one was postmarked 14/04 and the other 20/04!

I've been ordering various bits and bobs for my elderly parents and they are taking a while to arrive too.

Maybe post early but put Do Not Open Until.... on the envelope?

absolutely slower here

I've had things arrive second class around a week after being posted so I think there's slight delays.

I'm getting lost about once every 2 weeks - first class post is also taking about 2 weeks, second class about 3 weeks. I live in a big city not out in the sticks

Yes, post is extremely slow, things are taking about 8 days normal. Today I had a letter which had been redirected (wrong house number) and it has taken a whole month!

If you live in the same town can't you post it through the door yourself when out shopping/exercising?

Yes, I work for a small online retailer abd6 our customers are experiencing delays of up to a week.

Are people using post boxes or taking them direct to post offices? Just wondering whether the post boxes are being emptied as regularly?

Im getting post about once a week at the mo. I sell on etsy and ebay and I'm upgrading the postage to 1st class for the foreseeable future.

My birthday was April 10th. I received one card then, one on April 21st and I'm still waiting for a third! All posted on time, and cards 1 and 3 posted together!

@Rubychard

First class makes no difference at the moment - see my earlier post.

I’d give it a couple if days extra. My partner is a postman and he’s says they are busier with parcels. Also he says his regular round isn’t delivered on his day off, as they are using the relief cover to fill in other gaps.

Deliveries are all over atm, my partner ordered something from Germany that arrived today, yet the other order which is in the UK still hasn't arrived i think its all abit chaotic

A second class parcel took just over 3 weeks to get to me. Thought it had been lost!

Posted three items 2nd class 10 days ago from London. One to Yorkshire, one to Devon and one to Bucks....none have arrived yet.

I posted a parcel and some cards first class on Friday at 4pm from the North West.
Most of the cards and the parcel arrived Saturday morning to the North East and Surrey. The rest arrived today (Monday).

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats, whilst I appreciate your frustration and the financial impact of the current situation you are being unreasonable. Most frontline workers are working long, gruelling hours with little high level support and virtually no PPE. The people on the ground are trying their best. The level of packets is greater than Christmas and staff numbers depleted. In the main packets appear nonessential, think video games, ASOS, makeup etc not medication. The staff are risking their lives and are not responsible for the situation or how the powers that be depict it to the public.

Yes, the post office posted photos on Facebook of the backlog of mail.

I’m waiting for something that was posted 2nd class recorded 10 days ago and tracking shows that it’s still sat in the sender’s sorting office. So I’m guessing the answer is yes!

Def allow extra time, it isn't just on delivery that we are short staffed. The mail centres and sorting offices are having to cope with extra items and less staff due to absence and social distancing measures. So some things will be missing connections which then impacts further down the line. Even if you post a letter to your neighbour the chances are it has to go to a mail centre to be processed so even if it it literally going to be delivered in the same village it will have had to travel to nearest mail centre and go through the system before it comes back. Extra parcels in the system are affecting everything just like at xmas. Larger parcels take up more space physically so will be prioritised from a practical point of view.
Regarding post boxes being full, contact your local office or customer services to report this. They should still be being emptied daily although the actual hourly time may not be adhered to

Yes, which is fine.
We seem to get 2 or 3 deliveries a week around here.
I'm going to post extra early for upcoming birthdays.

It seems to be hit and miss.

We sent birthday cards and gifts through the post, ordered online and the Royal Mail parcel took over a week to arrive birthday card took three days. Times calculated from when the sellers marked the transaction as posted.

My Royal Mail deliveries are terrible at the best of times.
At the moment the only time I seem to be receiving anything is if it has been sent guaranteed 24/48. Even then it feels like the postman is probably thinking Oh God does it mean I actually have to put something in the houses letterbox instead of what I usually do of putting thru somebody else’s Box instead.

Definitely. I’ve had a few parcels arrive super quickly then others take two weeks, no idea how that works but there you go.

I'm expecting some cheques from HMRC. We've had the letters confirming the calculations from them (one letter for each of the last 5 tax years. We did that thing where your partner can use your unused tax allowance) and the letters advise the rebates will be sent under separate cover. We've only had one of the cheques.