Consumer expert Martin Lewis is advising people of a major change to the final date for using old stamps before they are worthless. The Royal Mail announced in February that it was scrapping the Definitive stamps - those with 1st and 2nd written on them along with the Queen's head - and switching to new ones with a barcode.
It originally said people had until January 31, 2023 to use them. But speaking on the Martin Lewis Money Show, the expert said this had now been changed.
He told viewers the previous deadline was now extended. This means people can use their stash of stamps until July 31, 2023.
However after that date they will become worthless. Anyone who has stamps they are not likely to use needs to acts quickly to swap them, free of charge, for those with a barcode.
The Royal Mail confirmed the date change on its website where it gives advice on what happens if people use a non-barcoded stamp after January 31, 2023. It states: "Mail posted with non-barcoded Definitive stamps after 31 January 2023, will for the first six months be delivered as normal, no surcharge will be raised.
"After this six month grace period, an item with a non-barcoded stamp would be treated as if there is insufficient postage. Any item that has insufficient postage is subject to a surcharge. Surcharge fees can be found on our website."
The Royal Mail has also changed its mind on its plans to barcode Christmas stamps. It originally said Christmas stamps would have a barcode and they would no longer be valid for postage after January 31.
However it has now said it had changed this "following feedback from customers" and they will now be excluded from the plan. It said: "These stamps are mostly kept by customers to send their Christmas cards and we anticipate that the vast majority will have been used by the end of this year.
"We are still adding a barcode to Christmas stamps, but non-barcoded Christmas stamps will remain valid so can continue to be used after 31 January 2023 and therefore there is no requirement to swap them out."
Not all other stamps will be barcoded. While all Definitive - or everyday - stamps will have a barcode special issue ones, such as the Christmas ones, will not. The website says: "We aren't barcoding special issue stamps - which are printed as a one off to commemorate a person / event — these remain valid as postage so don't need to be swapped out."
How to swap out non-barcoded stamps
Non-barcoded stamps can be exchanged for the new barcoded version through the Stamp Swap Out scheme. To swap out stamps, complete one of the Royal Mail Stamp Swap Out forms and send it back to them along with any non-barcoded stamps. The step-by-step process for doing this is explained below.
How to get a ‘Stamp Swap Out’ form
- If you have a printer, you can swap out up to £200 worth of non-barcoded stamps by printing out and completing this Stamp Swap Out PDFOpens in a new window pdf, 200.48 KB. You can send this back free of charge, along with any stamps, by writing on the envelope Freepost SWAP OUT. No other address details or postcode are needed.
- If you have a printer, and more than £200 worth of stamps to swap out then use the Bulk Stamp Swap Out formOpens in a new windowpdf, 156.37 KB. It recommends sending this and any non-barcoded stamps back via a secure service with suitable cover. The address to send to is:
Royal Mail
Swap Out
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB
- Anyone without access to a printer can request a Stamp Swap Out form to be posted to you by completing this form online. The instructions for sending back will depend on the form you request.
'Stamp Swap Out' forms are also available from the Customer Service Point at local Delivery Offices (but note they will only have the forms for the up to £200 option). Or call the Customer Experience Team on 03457 740740.
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