All you need to know as deadline to use classic Royal Mail stamps fast approaches

TIME’S ALMOST UP: Old non-barcoded stamps must be used by July 31 (Image: Matt Cardy/GETTY)

People are being urged to use their classic Royal Mail stamps before they become worthless next month. They are being replaced by barcoded stamps which enable recipients to watch videos when they scan the barcode with the Royal Mail app.

Royal Mail introduced a six-month ‘grace period’ after its initial end date of January 31, moving the deadline for which you need to use older stamps to July 31, 2023, reports The Mirror. If you find you have a lot of older stamps left over that you won’t be able to use in time, the company is offering you the chance to swap them through a new scheme.

When is the deadline to use old stamps?

Old stamps can be used until July 31, 2023, following a six-month ‘grace period’. The FAQs section on the Royal Mail website, states: “Mail posted with non-barcoded Definitive stamps after January 31, 2023, will for the first six months be delivered as normal, no surcharge will be raised.”

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Royal Mail moved the deadline back to give people more time to adjust to the change.

What happens if I use an old stamp after July 31?

Royal Mail will treat any post sent with non-barcoded stamps as having insufficient postage, meaning you may need to pay a fee. For example, sending a letter or large letter currently incurs a £1.50 fee if there is insufficient postage paid.

Where no postage has been paid at all on a regular-sized or large letter, there is a £2.50 fine.

Are there any exceptions?

Yes, you can still use commemorative and non-barcoded Christmas stamps even after July 31.

I don’t think I’ll use all of my old stamps by July 31 – what can I do?

You can exchange your old stamps for free through the Royal Mail ‘Swap Out’ scheme. You need to download a ‘Swap Out’ form on the Royal Mail website, call Royal Mail on 03457 740740 or pick up a form from a local delivery office or Post Office.

If you’re downloading the form online and you don’t have access to a printer, you can instead complete a web form and request for it to be posted to you. Once you’ve filled it out, post back the stamps you want to swap using the Freepost address.

Your new barcode stamps should then arrive in seven days. You will need to complete a standard form for stamps worth up to £200 or a Bulk Stamp form for stamps worth more than £200.

There is no limit on the number of forms you can request and currently no deadline for swapping old stamps, although it’s best to do it sooner rather than later.

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