Royal Mail Delivery Statistics 2026: 12 On Time Figures
If you run a business that relies on post, delivery times matter. Invoices, legal notices, renewal letters and customer orders all depend on Royal Mail turning up when it says it will.
We've pulled together 12 key figures from Royal Mail's own quality of service reports and from Ofcom, the regulator, so you can see how the service is really performing.
The headline figures
| # | Measure | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st Class delivered next working day, 2025/26 full year | 75.7% |
| 2 | 1st Class target, 2025/26 | 93% |
| 3 | 2nd Class delivered within three working days, 2025/26 | 90.2% |
| 4 | 2nd Class target, 2025/26 | 98.5% |
| 5 | Daily delivery routes completed, 2025/26 | 77.4% |
| 6 | Delivery route target | 99.9% |
| 7 | 1st Class next day, Q3 2025/26 | 77.5% |
| 8 | 1st Class next day, Q2 2025/26 | 73.4% |
| 9 | Special Delivery by 1pm, Q3 2025/26 | 95.2% (target 99%) |
| 10 | Items correctly delivered, Q3 2025/26 | 99.72% (target 99.5%) |
| 11 | New 1st Class target from 2026/27 | 90% |
| 12 | New 2nd Class target from 2026/27 | 95% within three days |
Sources: Ofcom investigation notice, 1 June 2026; House of Commons Library, Royal Mail performance briefing; Royal Mail Quarterly Quality of Service and Complaints Reports, Q2 and Q3 2025/26. Checked October 2026.
1st Class performance
Royal Mail's target for 2025/26 was to deliver 93% of 1st Class mail within one working day of collection. It reported delivering 75.7% over the full year. That means roughly one in four 1st Class items arrived later than next day.
Performance improved slightly through the year. Q2 came in at 73.4% and Q3 at 77.5%, with the cumulative figure at the end of Q3 at 75.4%.
2nd Class performance
For 2nd Class, the target was 98.5% within three working days. Royal Mail reported 90.2% for the full year. So about one in ten 2nd Class items took longer than three working days.
Delivery routes
One of the less discussed figures is route completion. Royal Mail's target is to complete 99.9% of daily delivery routes. In 2025/26 it completed 77.4%, according to the House of Commons Library. When a route isn't completed, some addresses don't get post that day.
Reliability measures
From 2026/27, Ofcom has added backstop targets that look at how late late mail is. The goal is 99% of 1st Class within three working days and 99% of 2nd Class within five. In 2025/26, Royal Mail reported progress towards these of 96.6% for 1st Class within three days and 98.4% for 2nd Class within five days in Q3.
What's changing
In July 2025, Ofcom announced changes to the universal service. In summary:
- 2nd Class letters can be delivered on alternate weekdays, and not on Saturdays, but still within three working days.
- 1st Class letters are still delivered six days a week.
- The main 1st Class target falls from 93% to 90% next day.
- The main 2nd Class target falls from 98.5% to 95% within three days.
The new targets apply from 2026/27. Ofcom opened an investigation into Royal Mail's 2025/26 performance on 1 June 2026.
What it means for business post
Post early
The earlier your post enters the network, the better its chances. Aim for the earliest collection you can manage. See our guide to franked mail collection.
Choose the right class
1st Class still arrives faster on average, but not always next day. If it really must arrive tomorrow, use Special Delivery.
Build in buffer days
For deadlines such as payment reminders or legal notices, allow extra time. If a letter must arrive by Friday, don't post it on Thursday.
Don't pay for 1st Class you don't need
From 7 April 2026, a franked 1st Class letter is £1.77 and a franked 2nd Class letter is 88p (Royal Mail Business Price Guide). If 2nd Class gets most items there within three days, switching non urgent post can almost halve your letter costs. Our Royal Mail franking discounts guide has the full price comparison.
Methodology
Royal Mail's quality of service figures come from end to end testing by an independent contractor, using test letters sent between panellists. Ofcom audits the process through an independent auditor. Annual figures exclude the Christmas period. Quarterly figures are provisional until the full year report.
We have used the figures as published and have not adjusted them. Where we've rounded, it's to one decimal place.
Use this data
You're welcome to cite these figures. Please link back to this page as the source.
FAQs
Is franked mail slower than stamped mail?
No. Franked and stamped 1st Class mail are measured together and share the same service standard.
What is the 1st Class target now?
From 2026/27, it's 90% delivered the next working day.
Is Royal Mail being fined?
Ofcom opened an investigation in June 2026. It has fined Royal Mail before for missing targets. Check Ofcom's website for the outcome.
For more data on business post, see our franking statistics page.
