Royal Mail has issued an urgent warning to anyone with old stamps laying around their home to use them before they are worthless. The classic stamps are being replaced with ones with barcodes printed on them, which can track and trace post and can also link to video messages when scanned.
From August 1, the familiar, everyday stamps showing the Queens head on a plain background will only be valid if there is a barcode on the right hand side. Using the old, non-barcoded stamps after this date will incur a surcharge.
Sending a letter or large letter currently incurs a £2.50 fee where no postage has been paid at all. Royal Mail advises anyone with these stamps still lurking around their home to use them up before July 31.
