Royal Mail delivers post and parcels to more than 32 million addresses across the UK, but does it operate on weekends?

The postal services website says it delivers and collects mail on "most days".

If you are waiting for a letter or a parcel, and it hasn't arrived during the week, you may be wondering if there is a chance of it arriving on the weekend.

Most Harry Potter fans will know, there is no post on Sundays, but what about Saturdays?

Basingstoke Gazette: Royal Mail delivers to more than 32 million addresses across the UK.Royal Mail delivers to more than 32 million addresses across the UK. (Image: PA)

Does Royal Mail deliver on Saturdays?

Currently (at the time of publication) yes, Royal Mail does deliver post and parcels on Saturdays.

The Royal Mail’s universal service obligation (USO) forces it to deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp, no matter where the letters are going.

The Royal website says: "We deliver and collect your mail on most days of the year, including Saturdays."

It did however outline the days it doesn't deliver.

Royal Mail added: "However, we don’t usually deliver or collect on public or local holidays."

You can see all the holidays Royal Mail doesn't deliver on its website here.

Basingstoke Gazette: Royal Mail does deliver post and parcels on Saturdays.Royal Mail does deliver post and parcels on Saturdays. (Image: PA)

There is also, in the words of Vernon Dursley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, "no post on Sundays" in some cases.

However, Royal Mail will deliver parcels on Sundays and letters/post if senders have purchased 'Special Delivery Guaranteed'.

Royal Mail explained: "Where Special Delivery Guaranteed has been purchased, both letters and parcels will be delivered on a Sunday.

"For Tracked items, we are focussing on parcels only for Sunday delivery."

For more information on Royal Mail delivery services, visit its website.

Royal Mail looking to cut back on deliveries

However, the number of deliveries made by Royal Mail could soon be drastically cut. 

Royal Mail, in April 2024, proposed changes to its delivery service which would see all non first-class letter deliveries  – including second class and bulk business mail, such as bills and statements – cut to every other weekday.

This would mean that second-class deliveries on Saturdays would be scrapped.

Under the plans, Royal Mail would deliver second-class mail in some streets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with others receiving letters on Tuesday and Thursday.

The delivery schedule would be alternated every week.

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First-class letter deliveries would remain six days a week, while Royal Mail said parcels would continue to be delivered up to seven days a week.

Royal Mail said the change would save it up to £300 million a year, with the universal postal service currently costing it up to £675 million every year.

But the cuts to second-class deliveries could also see it axe up to 1,000 jobs, although it hopes this can be achieved through voluntary redundancy and staff turnover.