As well as failing to meet current delivery times for both first and second class mail, Royal Mail did not meet revised down targets agreed with Ofcom.
The delivery network delivered 77% of first class mail and 92.5% of second class mail on time, “well short” of its 93% and 98.5% targets, the communications regulator said.
It’s also below the reduced goals which were set out for the delivery company at the start of the year – bringing down the percentage of first class post delivered the next day from 93% to 90%, and second class mail delivered within three days from 98.5% to 95%.
The latest fine is double that levied last year, £10.5m, and nearly quadruple the £5.6m fine in 2023.
Ian Strawhorne, director of enforcement at Ofcom, said: “Millions of important letters are arriving late, and people aren’t getting what they pay for when they buy a stamp.
“These persistent failures are unacceptable, and customers expect and deserve better.
“Royal Mail must rebuild consumers’ confidence as a matter of urgency. And that means making actual significant improvements, not more empty promises.”
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