Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment her Department has made of the planned increase in the cost of first class stamps on the affordability of the postal service.

It is the responsibility of Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to ensure that the universal postal service is affordable for customers as well as being efficient and financially sustainable. Royal Mail must work within Ofcom's regulatory framework, including the current price cap that prevents second class post rising above inflation, to ensure the availability of a basic affordable universal service.

Ofcom recently reviewed the safeguard caps and announced on 24 January 2024 that it would retain the safeguard cap on second class standard and large letters and not allow the safeguard cap to rise higher than CPI inflation.