Royal Mail plans to cut 2,500 jobs

Royal Mail has announced plans to cut 2,500 head office and other supporting roles by the end of 2027 as it battles competition and falling demand for letter deliveries.

The cuts at the postal service will represent about 2% of the 131,000-strong workforce.

However, frontline postal workers - posties and drivers - are not part of the proposed restructuring.

Royal Mail said the workforce reduction, designed to improve efficiency, would be achieved through voluntary redundancies and people choosing to leave the company.

"These proposed changes remove duplication and allow us to invest further in the service we deliver for our customers," said chief executive Alistair Cochrane.

He added that the job cuts "will not be easy, but they are an important part of building a stronger, simpler and future-ready Royal Mail for our customers and colleagues".

Royal Mail said it was in formal consultation with its unions, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite CMA, over the plans.

The CWU said despite reassurances that there would be no compulsory redundancies, the announcement was "further evidence of a company that is demoralising staff and failing to deliver for customers and the wider community".