‘I remember they were 28p’: Stamp prices among those to increase during cost of living crisis

It’s another rising cost — this time it’s stamps.

n Monday, the Belfast Telegraph was out and about getting the local reaction as sending a letter first-class is now just shy of a pound at 95p (a ten pence increase) with one shopper laughing, “Maybe they were being generous?”

At Royal Mail’s Bridge Street branch, customers were far from impressed.

Posting a handwritten letter, one lady told the Belfast Telegraph: “A book of stamps used to cost me around £7, it’ll be interesting to see what they are now.

“I’m sending second-class today, it’ll take a bit longer but it’s cheaper.

“Everything’s going up and then you find yourself trying to find offers to keep the costs down.”

Outside Ann Street’s Card Factory, a shopper said: “I’m going to hand post, the cards are actually going to New York, and I’ll be delivering them myself to save on the stamp. What it cost me at Christmas was horrendous.”

“I remember they used to be 28p,” exclaimed a shocked member of staff at Lecky’s Newsagents.

They’re not selling stamps, as is the case in most city centre convenience stores with staff agreeing demand has dwindled over the years.

The price increase comes at a time that sees Royal Mail’s annual profits quadruple to £726m with speculation they plan to sack up to 900 managers. Unite the Union is currently preparing for industrial action which could see strikes beginning this month.

“Disgusting, that’s another P&O scenario, I thought this was going to happen,” said an Armagh woman shopping.

The government had previously announced a £227m investment for the Post Office for 2021/22.

This was made up of a £50m network subsidy payment alongside £177m investing in the future of the network.

The number of Post Offices branches have nearly halved since the 1980s. There were 11,415 branches recorded across the UK in March 2021 with a decrease of 223.

Whilst demand on parcels is high, partly due to the increase in online shopping due to the pandemic, letter volumes have fallen by more than 60% since their peak in the early 2000s with many choosing to send digital messages instead.

“Everything’s gone up sadly. I don’t send much post myself — e-mails.” smiles Hayley, a member of staff from The Merchant Hotel, whilst posting a large handful of business letters on her break.

For others, they feel the service isn’t worthy of a price increase. Museum worker, Simone McCloskey, regularly sends mail but has found herself frustrated by delays: “I’ve waited days for people to get post when it should have only been one or two. For instance, last year I posted my Dad’s birthday card on November 29, he finally got it on December 4. He lives in Hereford, not outer Mongolia.”

Most can agree that, whilst small, the increase is a sign of the times reflecting the current cost-of-living crisis.

“Never mind the post, I’ve no fuel in my car”, exclaimed one city worker on her lunch break. A sentiment that was shared by many others on the streets of Belfast on Monday afternoon.

For now, the stamp of approval remains to be given.