Royal Mail says its main air and road networks operated on schedule over the latest 24-hour period, but a local processing problem is affecting some mail in the East Midlands.

In its service update for Tuesday, September 8, the company said delivery and collection services would take place across the UK. It also said its air network and road network both operated to schedule. The exception was Nottingham Mail Centre, where some mail posted elsewhere for delivery in the DE and NG postcode areas was not processed and dispatched on time.

The update matters to businesses because a delay at one processing centre can affect customer communications, returns, invoices and time-sensitive documents even when the wider network is operating normally. Royal Mail’s notice does not say that all mail in the affected postcode areas will be late. It identifies a risk for some items and advises customers to allow for local disruption.

The operational notice comes as the postal sector faces continuing pressure to balance service commitments with changing parcel volumes and wholesale costs. Ofcom’s postal-market work has also kept attention on the commercial terms that govern access to delivery networks and on how price changes may affect senders and competing operators.

For retailers and small businesses, the practical response is to check tracking information and keep customers informed when a delivery is linked to the affected areas. Firms sending documents tied to a deadline should retain proof of posting and consider a second delivery option when the cost of delay is high.

Royal Mail’s update also shows why a network-wide headline can be misleading. Air and road movements may be on time while a specific mail centre deals with a staffing, equipment or volume problem. The company did not provide a detailed cause for the Nottingham disruption in the notice.

Customers should check Royal Mail’s service-update page before sending urgent items and should use the carrier’s published compensation and claims process if a delay causes a qualifying loss. The latest information supports a measured conclusion: most listed operations were running normally, but some DE and NG deliveries required extra care.

Sources: Royal Mail service update, September 8, 2026; Ofcom postal-market information.