Statement: Proposal to grant an exception to Royal Mail’s universal service obligations

Statement published 16 December 2021

Royal Mail is required to provide a universal postal service, including delivery and collection of letters, six days per week, Monday to Saturday. This obligation does not however apply on public holidays, which includes bank holidays and any other date which Ofcom directs. These are known as ‘exceptions.’

Royal Mail has requested that Ofcom issue a direction to make 1 January 2022 an ‘exception’ because this date falls on a Saturday. 1 January is generally a public holiday. However, in 2022, when this date falls on a Saturday, the following Monday has been designated as the official public holiday. This would mean that, in the absence of a direction from Ofcom, Saturday 1 January 2022 would be a normal working day on which Royal Mail would be required to deliver and collect letters. Royal Mail’s request is that Ofcom grants this exception in addition to it observing the non-working day on Monday 3 January 2022.

On 12 November 2021, Ofcom consulted on a proposed direction that would implement Royal Mail’s request. The consultation closed on 13 December 2021. We received seven responses to our consultation, none of which objected to the proposal. Taking account of those responses, we have decided to agree to Royal Mail’s request.