Royal Mail issues stamp change warning as deadline approaches

We’ve had the rush to cash in our £20 and, if you were lucky, £50 notes as the old paper versions became redundant, now the race is on to either use up or swap your stamps. That’s right, the old book of stamps that you have squirrelled away in a cupboard for emergencies will soon become unusable.

The Royal Mail has moved over to barcoded stamps, which means anything without a barcode must be used by Tuesday, January 31, 2023. You have from now until then to either use the stamps or swap them for new barcoded versions.

The Royal Mail confirmed: “We’re adding barcodes to our regular stamp. After 31st January 2023, regular stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid. You can either use up these stamps before this deadline, or swap them for the new barcoded ones.”

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Royal Mail has used barcode technology printed directly on to envelopes and labels for some time – think about business customers who have been using franking machines to print a pre-paid franking mark onto an envelope, as well as printing a Mailmark barcode onto letters. However, they have now turned the practice to everyday mail and barcoded stamps are now on sale.

When the announcement was made that a change to the stamps was coming, Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: “This initiative will see Royal Mail become one of the first postal authorities in the world to add unique barcodes to stamps. By doing this, we are looking to transform the humble stamp so that we can offer our customers even more convenient, new services in the future.

Nick said: “Royal Mail has a long and proud history for creating innovative and intuitive postal solutions. This goes all the way back to the Penny Black which established the principle of the one-price-goes-anywhere universal service – to the recent launch of Parcel Collect – where we pick up our customers’ parcels from the doorstep.”

What you need to know

Here’s everything you need to know about the new stamps, what to do if you don’t use them by the deadline, how to swap your current stamps, and more.

When can I buy new barcoded stamps?

The new stamps are on sale now but you can still use the old stamps up until the deadline of Tuesday, January 31, 2023.

What if I don’t use my stamps by the deadline

Non barcoded stamps won’t be valid after the deadline so you will need to use the Royal Mail’s swap-out scheme to exchange them for valid stamps. There is currently no end date as to when you need to swap out your non-barcoded stamps by.

When does the swap out scheme open

The ‘Swap Out’ scheme opened back in March 2022 so it is all up and running now. Royal Mail is currently distributing ‘swap out’ form’s through some householders letterboxes but this form is also available to download. Stamps then need to be sent to a Freepost address for exchange.

How do I use the Swap-out scheme

Unfortunately, you can’t swap your stamps at the Post Office so you will have to either use the stamps before the deadline or use the swap-out scheme.

If you have a printer, you can swap out up to £200 worth of non-barcoded stamps by printing out and completing a form and then sending this back (free of charge), along with your stamps, to ‘Freepost SWAP OUT’. No other address details or postcode are needed.

If you don’t have access to a printer you can request a Stamp Swap Out form to be posted to you by completing this form online. Forms are also available from the Customer Service Point at your local Delivery Offices or by calling 03457 740740.

What happens if you use a none-barcoded stamp after January 31?

Royal Mail says that mail posted with non-barcoded definitive stamps after 31 January 2023 will be treated in the same way as if there is insufficient postage on an item. Adding: “After 31 January 2023, you should apply the correct value of barcoded stamps required to send your item. Any item that has insufficient postage is subject to a surcharge. Surcharge fees can be found on our website.”

What about Christmas stamps?

You don’t need to swap out non-barcoded Christmas stamps – non-barcoded Christmas stamps will remain valid so can continue to be used after 31 January 2023.

Will the barcoded stamps feature the King?

Royal Mail says that it will reveal the image and timings of the King’s new silhouette in due course. However, it added that: “In line with guidance from the Royal Household, to minimise the environmental and financial impact of the change of monarch, existing stocks of Definitive stamps that feature The Late Queen and the Special Stamps which use her silhouette, will be distributed and issued as planned.

“The launch dates of some of the Special Stamps may change. Details will be made available at the appropriate time. New stamps featuring King Charles III will enter circulation once current stocks of stamps are exhausted.”

Royal Mail is also advising that stamps bearing the image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II remain valid for use.

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