There are to be no changes to the scope of the universal postal service, Ofcom has decided following a review.
Claudio Pollack, Ofcom consumer group director, said: “Consumers and businesses across the UK have told us that they place a high value on the universal postal service. Our decision not to change that service means the needs of postal users will continue to be met.
“We are also proposing new protections to ensure that everyone continues to have access to local post boxes, including those in rural communities. And crucially, we are reaffirming our commitment to ensure the universal postal service remains financially sustainable in the presence of competition.”
Ofcom will carry out review of the impact of end-to-end competition on the universal service towards the end of 2015, if a review has not already been undertaken by that time.
Royal Mail welcomed Ofcom decision not to change the scope of the universal service.
In a statement, it said: “In our December response to the regulator’s consultation, we highlighted the importance of customer choice and our commitment to the six-day-a-week service we provide for letters and parcels. This will become even more important to our customers as the volumes of parcels increases as it provides more flexibility for delivery. We also stressed the importance of maintaining a First Class next day postage service as this is the benchmark product for Royal Mail and for our customers.”
