To think Royal Mail should have delivered this by now?

[AyrshireAmbler49]

Last Wednesday (16th) I posted lots of packages to various family members in the uk. They weren’t expensive things so I didn’t want to have them signed for. I sent them second class and not one person has received any of them, there were hand made cards from DD, presents for my whole family dispersed around the UK. I’ll be so gutted if they’ve got lost in the post.
Does anyone know if Royal Mail are particularly slow at the moment or not?
Thanks for reading.

I don’t think it’s unusual for second class items to take a few days especially at Christmas. Why didn’t you post first class?

They are absolutely swamped. More parcels are being sent than ever, they can't operate as normal due to social distancing rules and staff being off.

Things sent 2nd class are rather low down on the priority list at the moment.

It is always slow at Christmas time and I expect this year it will be slower. The 18th was the last day for posting second class so I would expect them to arrive tomorrow.

Beyond slow, taking up to two weeks for delivery for second class at the moment. They are vastly behind, no one could have predicted a lock down and the whole country shopping online and sending cards they normally deliver in person. The postie's are flat out.

Yes very slow. I sent cards first class on the 11th, they took a week.......

It's been all over the news how swamped they are. 200 million extra pieces of post has been reported.

I paid first class for a parcel last weds and it only arrived today. Fingers crossed they arrive by the last post Thursday x

Second class at Christmas during a pandemic? You'll be very lucky if they get there before Friday.

It is normal for this time of year and not through lack of effort. Our posties are flat out and we are getting some deliveries after 6pm.

Fingers crossed your parcels arrive safe though.

Someone posted a parcel to me second class on the 11th December and it only arrived this morning so parcels are taking ages!

I received a parcel sent 48 hour signed for 15 days later. I hope they arrive for you

I didn’t post first class because I was down to my last £100 until pay day and as it was the postage cost me £40.
Thanks for the reassurance, I’m sure it’ll get there in the end! Xx

I sent two first class tracked delivery envelopes last Wednesday and the tracker is showing them still at the same post office I sent them from! Useless at the moment!!

DH is a postie. They're absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of mail thats being sent. Its obviously far greater than a standard christmas especially with the most recent rule changes. He sent me a picture of his delivery today, it was mountainous.

Just be patient and know they're all working their socks off.

I bought some cakes from a shop from my city. Dispatched on a Thursday as 1st class It took them til Tuesday to be delivered despite it only was 4 miles.

I sent a parcel Friday and it arrived Saturday, there's no rhyme or reason to it. It was first, but even so I was expecting a delay as I heard how swamped they are. Hope yours turn up soon.

Thank you! I must give our postie a generous Christmas present this year then.

If they arrive after Christmas it will be a nice surprise for them to look forward to.

I'm afraid they are really slow at the moment but demand has been massive. I've had parcels take 2 to 3 weeks but the good news is that they've all arrived. eventually

Does anyone know if Royal Mail are particularly slow at the moment or not

Hmmm, 4 days before Christmas in a global pandemic and tier 4 just introduced, I think everyone knows the Royal Mail is probably under the most stress it's ever been

I sent a parcel down to Bristol on Thursday (17th) and it arrived today. Was also standard second class. No word on if the parcel I sent to Edinburgh the same day (only about 2 hours from where I stay) has arrived yet. I also sent some small parcels to my 3 closest friends and they took 4 days to arrive, again sent second class.

I sent something second class to Ireland over 3 weeks ago and it still hasn’t arrived. I suspect it might be lost though as is another parcel I sent a few days later

I posted three parcels international first class (South of Germany) to the Uk on the 10th. None have arrived.

To be fair, I was told they wouldn't guarantee arrival before Christmas because the British postal system is overwhelmed. I posted two parcels on Thursday nationally. One arrived on Saturday (large city) and one arrived today ( very rural) so I don't think the problem is here!

@Wicker382

DH is a postie. They're absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of mail thats being sent. Its obviously far greater than a standard christmas especially with the most recent rule changes. He sent me a picture of his delivery today, it was mountainous.

Just be patient and know they're all working their socks off.

Sorry your DH is having to work so hard to counter the moronic incompetence of his employer. Did RM seriously not think they might get a teensy bit of extra post this year? Did they not think maybe a couple of extra people might come in handy, back in, say, October, when it was clear another lockdown was coming? Oh, right: there is a huge shortage of people on the job market looking for work, I forgot. I hope your DH gets double time minimum! And finds a better job, with an employer capable of sentient thought, soon.

My boots parcel was in a royal mail warehouse from 27th November. Only when I emailed boots and royal mail did it appear on 14th december.

You sent them second class just before Christmas in a year when loads more parcels are being sent than usual and Royal Mail is likely to have more staff off than usual. Be patient! Wednesday to Monday isn’t that long in the circumstances