Royal Mail stamp price increase branded ‘scandalous’ after 30p rise announced

Royal Mail’s decision to raise the price of first-class stamps by 30p has been branded ‘scandalous’ – with people saying they will stop sending cards.

It was announced on Friday that from October 7 the price of a first-class stamp will rise by 30p to £1.65 – a rise of 22 per cent from the current £1.35. Second-class stamps will remain at 85p.

The increase is the second rise in months after first-class stamps went up by 10p to £1.35 and second-class by 10p to 85p in April.

READ MORE: Royal Mail to increase price of first-class stamps by 30p

Royal Mail said it had to increase the price of stamps due to the “urgent” financial challenge it faces.

People have now hit out at the latest price rise with many saying they will stop sending letters and cards. Responding to the news on the Manchester Evening News Facebook page, Karen Beecroft said: “Absolutely ridiculous when they are currently talking about stopping second class deliveries on a Saturday. No justification for these price increases.”

Carol Ann Bond added: “Astronomical, I used to love writing letters which is more personal, so it will be text from now on as these are free. “

While Ruth Wilcox wrote: “Well I’ve sent Xmas cards for over 60 years not anymore, the price of stamps is extortionate!” and Ann Latham said: “No more Xmas cards and letter writing will be a thing of the past. Prob is already.”

And Alan Darwin added: “Scandalous! There is no first-class service anymore, no way would I ever send anything other than second-class.”

Royal Mail said the face of declining letter volumes, inflationary pressures and the costs associated with maintaining the so-called Universal Service Obligation (USO) under which deliveries have to be made six days a week has led to increases – although they have sought to keep them as low as possible.

Nick Landon, Royal Mail’s chief commercial officer, said: “We always consider price increases very carefully. However, when letter volumes have declined by two-thirds since their peak, the cost of delivering each letter inevitably increases.

“A complex and extensive network is needed to get every letter and parcel across the country for a single price – travelling on trucks, planes, ferries and in some cases drones before it reaches its final destination on foot. We are proud to deliver the universal service, but the financial cost is significant.

“The universal service must adapt to reflect changing customer preferences and increasing costs so that we can protect the one-price-goes anywhere service, now and in the future.”

Royal Mail said letter volumes have fallen from 20 billion in 2004/5 to around 6.7 billion a year in 2023/4, so the average household now receives four letters a week, compared to 14 a decade ago.

The number of addresses Royal Mail must deliver to has risen by four million in the same period meaning the cost of each delivery continues to rise.