The Royal Mail is considering plans to delay the delivery of post to domestic homes until the mid afternoon in order to cut costs, it has been reported.

Royal Mail's owners Consignia need to make savings of £1.26 billion a year and has admitted a series of reforms may be needed help the company hit targets.

Forum Response: Consignia

A spokesman for Consignia told ePolitix.com: "Royal Mail is planning changes to deliver services, to bring customers more choice and make it services more relevant to their needs.

"This is about the service customers will get for their 19p or 27p stamp. We have had an unchanged specification for the delivery of mail for many years and for many of our customers it has become an irrelevance. For people in the 21st century, with changed life-styles and working patterns, Royal Mail will offer a range of products and services which our customers can choose from according to their needs and which offer good value for money.

"In addition to potential changing current delivery services, Royal Mail is looking to develop new services including early deliveries, evening deliveries, same day services and services for customers wishing to collect mail from convenient locations on their way to work. Postcomm, the industry regulator, and Postwatch, the consumer watchdog, are being consulted as Royal Mail's work on potential changes progresses.

"Royal Mail will consult with every postman and woman in the country about the changes. They are among the best placed to know how their delivery office can change to give customers a better and more flexible range of services. We'll be talking with customers, trades unions, employees and all interested parties before we make any final decisions."