Martin Lewis tells UK households what to do with old stamps as and says ‘it’s different for some’

Royal Mail is increasing the price of its stamps next week and people are being urged to ‘bulk buy’ to avoid the price hike. But what do you do with your old stamps?

We took a look at what Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis suggests people do with their old postage stamps. Royal Mail scrapped everyday non-barcoded stamps on July 31, 2023.

These were the ones that featured a profile of the Queen’s head. You can no longer use these non-barcoded stamps – but there are some exceptions.

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Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, said: “You can no longer use these non-barcoded stamps, but you can still exchange them for new barcoded versions for free. It’s worth noting that Christmas stamps or ‘special’ stamps with pictures on are still valid, so you won’t need to swap these.

“To swap your stamps, you’ll need to complete a standard ‘Swap Out’ form for stamps worth up to £200, or a bulk stamp ‘Swap Out’ form for stamps worth more than £200. If you don’t have a printer, you can request a form on the Royal Mail website or pick one up from your local Post Office. Both forms include instructions on where to send your stamps.

“There is currently no deadline to complete swaps, but we suggest doing it sooner rather than later in case the scheme closes. Royal Mail says it’ll try to swap your stamps within seven working days.”

The message comes just before prices rise by an ‘inflation-busting’ 22 percent on standard first-class stamps on Monday, October 7. And there’s an even bigger – 24 percent – hike on large first class stamps. ‘Signed For’, ‘Special Delivery Guaranteed’ and ‘Tracked’ services will also increase from this day, as will the cost of sending parcels by first and second class.