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April is a month of change for our personal finances, with changes to taxes, benefits, and pensions affecting people’s wage packets and bank statements across the country. But one small change is due to take effect from tomorrow that could hike up the cost of staying in touch with your loved ones.
Postage stamps are set to be hiked by 13 per cent from tomorrow, the third such price rise in the past year and likely not the last. But if you purchase a bulk amount today (April 1), you could lock in the price of your post at a lower level.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, is among the experts urging people to ‘stock up’ before the price rise comes in. He said: “For years, every time stamps go up in price I’ve suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance, as provided the stamp doesn’t have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it’s still valid after the hike. This has been an effective tactic, as a first-class letter stamp is now £1.25, soon to be rising to £1.35 – in 2012 it was just 60p. So you may as well stock up now.”
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The price of stamps has gone up steadily in recent years as Royal Mail adapts to changes in society that have seen their deliveries fall by two-thirds, while online retailers like Amazon and couriers like Hermes have muscled into the delivery space that was once dominated by the formerly nationalised postal service.
Stocking up on stamps will save you an extra 10 pence on every first and second-class letter or package from April 2, when the prices go up. The new price of a first-class stamp will be £1.35, while a second class stamp will be 75p – the price of a first-class stamp was just 60p in 2012.
| Class | Price from April 2 | Price increase |
| First – standard size | £1.35 | +10p |
| First – large size | £1.95 | +15p |
| Second- standard size | 75p | +10p |
| Second – large size | £1.55 | Same |
Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said at the time of the price rise announcement: “We face a situation where letter volumes have reduced dramatically over recent years, while costs have increased. It is no longer sustainable to maintain a network built for 20 billion letters when we are now only delivering seven billion.
“As a result of letter volume decline, our posties now have to walk more than three times as far to deliver the same number of letters as before, increasing the delivery costs per letter.”
