Estimated 15.7 million people hit by postal delays charity says, as it calls for tougher review into Royal Mail
An estimated 15.7 million people in the UK experienced postal delays last month, according to new research commissioned by the charity, Citizens Advice.
Many of those who experienced delays said they had suffered knock-on impacts, such as missing health appointments, fines or bills.
One woman said at least four of her hospital appointment letters were delayed during a “high risk” pregnancy.
Citizens Advice Chief Executive, Dame Clare Moriarty, described the level of delays as “appalling”.
The charity also called on regulator Ofcom to strengthen its current review of postal services.
Royal Mail said the year 2022/2023 was “one of the most challenging in our history” and said its services had been impacted by strikes and “high levels” of staff absence.
Royal Mail has blamed strikes for the disruption
The survey of more than 4,000 adults surveyed between 25 May and 5 June found nearly one in three (31%) of those questioned – equivalent to be around 15.7 million people if replicated across the UK – said they had experienced a letter delay, while 22% said they had experienced a parcel delay.
Of those who responded, 15% said they had experienced a serious negative consequence, including missing important documents, missing a health appointment, or losing money through fines.
The charity also said that its research showed how people of colour were nearly twice as likely (23%) to experience negative consequences as a result of letter delays compared to white respondents (13%).
Meanwhile, 21% of disabled people experienced negative consequences as a result of letter delays, compared to 13% of non-disabled people, according to the charity.
Winifred, a 24-year-old from Hemel Hempstead, told the charity that during her pregnancy – regarded as “high risk” by doctors – she waited for multiple hospital letters that failed to arrive on time.
“I was so stressed out,” she said.
File pic
Winifred, who now has an eight-week-old baby, added: “Another time, I knew I had an appointment that week, but hadn’t received the letter so I went directly to the hospital to ask when the appointment was.
“They told me it was the next day – if I hadn’t gone to the hospital to ask, I would have missed it.”
The Citizens Advice report comes after MPs recently highlighted evidence that Royal Mail had prioritised parcels over letters and called on Ofcom to investigate this issue across a number of years.
The charity said its research showed it was no longer acceptable for Ofcom to have a business-as-usual approach to its investigation and called on the regulator to launch a multi-year review into mail delays and deprioritisation.
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Dame Clare Moriarty said: “Royal Mail’s delays are still at appalling levels and it’s consumers who are being saddled with the consequences.
“Delayed post’s been an issue for years and the problem is only getting worse. Ofcom must now do a full root-and-branch investigation into mail delays.”
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “We’re sorry to any customers who may have been impacted by our performance during a year that has been one of the most challenging in our history, with quality of service materially impacted by the long-running industrial dispute with the CWU and compounded in some areas by high levels of staff absences.
“Improving quality of service is a top priority and an improvement plan is already under way.”
An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We assess Royal Mail’s performance against annual delivery targets and we are investigating its failure to meet delivery targets for 2022/23.
“We take quality of service seriously. If we determine that Royal Mail has failed to comply with its obligations, we may consider whether to impose a financial penalty.”
A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.
Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.
She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.
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Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.
“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.
“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
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The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.
In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.
“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”
Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.
A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.
Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.
The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.
One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.
Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.
Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.
Mohamed al Fayed. Pic: AP
The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”
The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.
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Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.
The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.
A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.
“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
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Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.
One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.
Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.
UK
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
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Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
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‘Fix care before assisted dying legislation’
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
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