Members of the Mail Competition Forum, which represents access operators handling bulk mail for large organisations, disputed Royal Mail's wholesale access price rises announced on 23 July 2026 for 5 October. Ofcom accepted the dispute on 4 September 2026 and suspended the rises. On 5 October 2026 Ofcom closed the case after Royal Mail withdrew the notified rises, so no Ofcom decision was issued.
Key dates
- Done4 Sep 2026
Ofcom accepts the dispute; rises suspended pending decision Ofcom
- Done5 Oct 2026
Royal Mail withdraws the notified rises and Ofcom closes the dispute Ofcom
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Who it hits
What to prepare
- Keep some budget headroom for wholesale letter price rises, since Royal Mail can notify new increases.
- Check whether access contracts pass through Royal Mail increases automatically.
Our reading
Sources
- Ofcom accepts dispute regarding Royal Mail's wholesale price rises · Ofcom · 2026-09-04
- Dispute between Mail Competition Forum and Royal Mail concerning notified price rises for access services · Ofcom · 2026-10-05
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Information, not legal advice. Dates come from official texts or quality legal and trade press, and slip often: always check the current text before acting. Back to the full radar.