The Royal Mail delivers billions of letters and parcels a year in the UK, but does the service deliver them after 5pm in the evening?

According to Statista in the financial year ending March 2022, Royal Mail delivered just below eight billion letters and just over 1.5 billion packages.

It is a huge volume to go through and it might make people wonder if postmen can make deliveries after 5pm in the evening.

Here's all you need to know on if the Royal Mail can make deliveries after 5pm or if they have to stop.

Hackney Gazette: Royal Mail delivers billions of letters and parcels every year in the UKRoyal Mail delivers billions of letters and parcels every year in the UK (Image: PA)

Does Royal Mail deliver after 5pm?

According to the PostGrid website, the Royal Mail can make deliveries after 5pm if the service is running a bit late.

They said: "Royal Mail does not officially deliver after 6 p.m. Yet, you can expect deliveries in the evening if the courier service is running later on schedule."

However, in most cases, deliveries will stop at 5pm as the service will be running on schedule.

Citizens Advice adds: "Your post should be delivered by 3pm if you live in a town or city, or 4pm if you live in a rural area.

"You can check if post will be delayed in your local area on the Royal Mail website."

Hackney Gazette: Most parcels and letters will be delivered by the afternoon in the UKMost parcels and letters will be delivered by the afternoon in the UK (Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

Royal Mail could scrap Saturday deliveries in future

While Royal Mail currently delivers six days a week, including Saturdays, its owner International Distributions Services (IDS) has formally asked the Government to switch to a five-days-a-week letter delivery service which would cover Monday to Friday.

While the proposal would see a five-day letter delivery system the group said it would look to maintain a seven-day parcel delivery service.

Recommended reading:

Royal Mail has urged the Government and Ofcom to review its obligations, given the decline in addressed letter post.

Regulator Ofcom is due to report back this week on its review of the universal service provided by Royal Mail after the proposal to ditch Saturday letter deliveries.

Downing Street said the Government would not support any plans enabling Royal Mail to ditch its six-day-a-week letter postal service.