Dog attacks on UK postal workers drop 8% but stay high

Dog attacks on postal workers in the United Kingdom have decreased over the past year but remain at a high level, with an average of 38 incidents reported every week, according to new figures released by Royal Mail. The company recorded 2,019 attacks on its staff in the 2025-26 reporting period, an eight percent reduction compared to the previous year.

The statistics were published to coincide with the start of the 14th annual Dog Awareness Week, which runs from July 6 to 12. While welcoming the decline, Royal Mail officials described the ongoing number of attacks as unacceptably high, noting that some incidents result in permanent and disabling injuries.

For the second consecutive year, the Sheffield (S) postcode area recorded the highest number of attacks, with 61 incidents. Doncaster (DN) and Guildford (GU) were joint second with 53 attacks each, followed by Newcastle (NE) and Portsmouth (PO), each with 50 attacks. Belfast (BT) ranked sixth with 37 reported attacks.

The data shows that the majority of attacks, 52 percent, occurred at the front door, a four percent increase from the previous year. A further 25 percent happened in a garden, driveway, or yard, while seven percent...