Royal Mail warns of delays in 90 UK locations as heat warning lifts temperatures to 40C

Royal Mail has warned customers in more than 90 UK locations to expect delays to delivery, collection and distribution as a rare spell of extreme heat pushes temperatures towards 40C.

The warning comes as the Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for parts of England and Wales, with the hottest period expected across Wednesday and Thursday. The UK Health Security Agency has also issued a red heat health alert for six regions of England.

Royal Mail said it had adjusted operations in response to the conditions and was prioritising the safety of postal workers and customers. Coverage said the company’s measures include UV-protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen and frequent shade breaks for posties.

The disruption is part of a wider public-service impact from the heatwave, which has also affected transport, schools and other services across the UK.

What Royal Mail said

Coverage said Royal Mail was warning of ongoing disruption to parcel delivery, collection and distribution in affected areas. The company’s warning covers more than 90 locations across the country, including parts of London, the South West, Wales and the Midlands.

The exact postcode list has not been published in full on Royal Mail’s own site in the material reviewed, so the warning remains broad rather than fully itemised. That leaves customers with a general alert, but not a complete local breakdown from the company itself.

Royal Mail’s response is tied to worker safety as much as service continuity. The company is adjusting postal operations so staff can work through the extreme conditions with less exposure to direct sun and heat.

How the heat event developed

The heatwave has been building for several days. On June 21, the Met Office forecast potentially record-breaking heat, with temperatures of up to 38C and a chance of 40C in some places.

By June 22, the Met Office had issued a rare red weather warning for Wednesday and Thursday. Coverage at that point described the warning as unusual and serious, reflecting the level of risk from the temperatures and associated conditions.

On June 23, Royal Mail’s warning about delays appeared in coverage as the heat event was still intensifying. Public reporting on June 24 continued to treat the disruption as current and ongoing rather than resolved.

The red warning matters because it signals conditions that can affect healthy people as well as vulnerable groups. It is also a signal that normal services may need to be adjusted quickly to reduce risk.

What customers should expect next

For households and businesses in affected postcodes, the immediate impact is likely to be slower or interrupted mail and parcel service while the extreme-heat warning remains in force. That includes both routine letters and time-sensitive deliveries.

The main open question is how quickly Royal Mail can restore normal operations once temperatures ease. Another uncertainty is whether the company will widen the warning or publish a more specific postcode list if the disruption spreads.

The next update point will be whether the Met Office or UKHSA changes its warnings as the heat peaks and begins to pass. Customers should expect service variation until the warning period ends and operations normalise.