2nd Class Postage -- why?

I was curious if anyone has an idea why The Home Office seems to send most (all?) of their mail second class?

Considering the deadlines they issue with the letters - e.g., 15 working days on the biometrics, for example - seems somewhat inappropriate. I'd gladly pay another ten or twenty pounds just to have the peace of mind that first class Royal Mail postage would bring.

Anyone know why they do this? The price difference is minor, 0.63 pence 1st class / 0.54 pence 2nd class.

DAC000 wrote:I was curious if anyone has an idea why The Home Office seems to send most (all?) of their mail second class?

Considering the deadlines they issue with the letters - e.g., 15 working days on the biometrics, for example - seems somewhat inappropriate. I'd gladly pay another ten or twenty pounds just to have the peace of mind that first class Royal Mail postage would bring.

Anyone know why they do this? The price difference is minor, 0.63 pence 1st class / 0.54 pence 2nd class.

I think there are two reasons for this.

First - Its cheaper - 9p saving over million letters is still £90,000 a year. If you send 10 million letters that's £900,000

Second - There is hardly any difference between two. First class is delivered next day but not guaranteed so can take 2 days. Second class takes 2-3 days so still well within time to allow you to do your bio metrics at your convenience.

Couple of years ago there was a consultation about scraping both first, and second class service with a single 2 day service with one single cheaper price. Not sure what came of it.

My acknowledgement letter was sent on 23rd and I received it on 25 so I don't really see any issue with them using second class mail.

Yes, only problem is my lettres -- and many others on this board -- took several days to arrive. For example, my biometrics letter was dated July 15th but arrived July 28th, just about the same elapsed time as on several other threads.

Cost? I'd gladly pay another £10 or £20 and it wouldn't cost Home Office any more -- they're only going to send, at most, five or six letters to most applicants. So that can't be an issue.

No, I think it has more to do with quality of service -- not answering emails, no automated way to check processing status, all the good stuff a service oriented org would offer -- than anything else. Unless someone can offer up a more credible explanation. than cost.

DAC000 wrote:Yes, only problem is my lettres -- and many others on this board -- took several days to arrive. For example, my biometrics letter was dated July 15th but arrived July 28th, just about the same elapsed time as on several other threads.

Cost? I'd gladly pay another £10 or £20 and it wouldn't cost Home Office any more -- they're only going to send, at most, five or six letters to most applicants. So that can't be an issue.

No, I think it has more to do with quality of service -- not answering emails, no automated way to check processing status, all the good stuff a service oriented org would offer -- than anything else. Unless someone can offer up a more credible explanation. than cost.

Yes but when was that letter actually posted? Date on the letter is when it was printed.

And yes cost is an important issue with very little difference in service between first and second class. Lot of government departments do the same. All letters I have received from HMRC were 2nd class.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/team-b ... mule-again/

I agree though that they should offer all the other services like you mentioned even if that means paying bit more as long as they are optional. I will happily pay for it.

Home Office reducing time limits for appeals by sending post 2nd class.