How much is a 1st class mail stamp in 2024?

The price of stamps has just risen this April, so we discuss the cost of first class stamps, alternative delivery options, and the cheapest ways to pay for postage

Sending a letter or parcel often involves deciding whether extra should be spent to ensure a more timely delivery or if a slower and cheaper service would suit. 

The price of a postage stamp has just risen this April, and it’s worth knowing about so that you can make the best decisions for sending future parcels and letters. 

In this article, we cover: 

First-class postage stamp cost

The Royal Mail price of a first-class postage stamp went up on April 2, 2024. Now, sending a standard letter with a British first-class stamp costs £1.35, when it was £1.25 in 2023. 

There has also been a similar price increase for other parcels and letters. For example, for small parcels up to 2kg with first-class delivery, you would have spent £4.19 in 2023, but now the stamps cost £4.59. 

As usual, buying in bulk can save you money. So, you might want to buy a book of stamps. You can now pick up a book of four first-class stamps with little modern barcodes (an added new security feature) for £5 or a book of eight for £10. 

Second-class postage stamp cost

The stamp price of sending a parcel or letter with second-class postage has also risen. In 2023, using it to send a standard letter cost 75p, but it now costs 85p. This price increase has extended to other parcels of different weights. 

Like you can for first-class stamps, you might want to buy in bulk to save money. A book of eight second-class stamps will cost you £6.00 – that’s 80p cheaper than buying the stamps individually. 

How much does it cost to post a large letter?

It will depend on the weight of the large letter you’re sending and the class you want to send it with, as well as the delivery company you choose to send it with. 

Since the April price change, here are the new rates for sending a large letter with a Royal Mail postage stamp, with both 1st class and 2nd class postage: 

Sending large parcels by Royal Mail

You can send parcels via Royal Mail up to a maximum of 30 kg with a size of 2.5m and 5m in length and girth combined, which is classed as a medium parcel. Above that, you’ll need to send your parcel via Parcelforce Worldwide. 

This online postage service allows you to send fully tracked and signed parcels by the next day or within two days, without the use of stamps. 

There are also other services you might want to choose from. In our guide to the cheapest way to send parcels, we list them, paying attention to Royal Mail competitors like ParcelHero and Parcel2Go. 

Buying postage online

An alternative to buying regular stamps for posting items is using online delivery platforms. These days, leading companies like Royal Mail and Parcel Monkey allow you to buy a postage label online to print off. This might be easier than keeping stamps in your home, which can have a tendency to get lost. 

The prices are different from sending with a stamp. There are also many easy-to-understand options, such as Tracked 48, which sends the item within 48 hours and provides tracking information. 

What is the cheapest way to pay for postage?

It’s also a good idea to wisely consider different courier services and compare their costs online. Some even have special discounts available. In our guide, we compare them and suggest couriers. For example, there’s information on Parcel2Go, which claims to be the cheapest delivery service in the UK. 

There are also various other tips and tricks to help keep costs down. 

• Send your item with a slower delivery service: faster delivery services tend to cost more, so sending your item with a slow delivery ahead of time could help you save 
• Keep your item as light as possible: avoid heavy wrapping and use lightweight materials such as bubble wrap and tissue paper
• Send items in bulk where you can: this will mean lower costs overall
• Send it straight from the retailer: this works if you’re sending a parcel as a gift. You could send it straight to them from the retailer to reduce the delivery cost

How much are Penny Black stamps worth?

If you’re annoyed at the increasing price of stamps, you might feel better being reminded of more expensive stamps. 

A penny black stamp is renowned for being the world’s first stamp, and there are many stamp collectors who aspire to own one. As with many collectable items, their value is closely linked to their physical condition, which makes it hard to put a general price on them. 

However, UK auctioneers Warwick and Warwick have estimated that a Penny Black can be worth as little as £15 to £30 if it’s in poor to reasonable condition. In stark contrast, they have estimated that one in mint condition could go for anything from about £1,250 to six-figure sums.

What are the most expensive stamps in the world?

At the extreme end of stamp prices is the British Guiana 1 Cent Magenta, which is reportedly the only one to exist. 

It might have been sold for six shillings in 1874, but in June 2014 it was sold for an eye-watering $9.48 million at the Sotheby’s auction in New York.