One week left to buy stamps before Royal Mail hikes 1st and 2nd class prices

The cost of 1st class stamps will reach 95p, up 10p from 85p, from April 4. The price of 2nd class stamps will increase to 68p, up 2p from 66p. The Royal Mail blamed Brits sending fewer letters

Stamp prices are due to rise in just under one week – but there is a way to beat the increase if you act now.

The cost of 1st class stamps will reach 95p, up 10p from 85p, from April 4. The price of 2nd class stamps will increase to 68p, up 2p from 66p.

Royal Mail confirmed the price hike earlier this month and blamed it on Brits sending fewer letters.

A statement released on March 4 said: “Royal Mail has considered these pricing changes very carefully in light of the long term structural decline in letter usage and rising inflation.

“Letter volumes have declined by more than 60% since their peak in 2004/5, and around 20% since the start of the pandemic.”

If you send a lot of letters, it could be a good idea to stock up on stamps now ahead of the price rise.

However, the Royal Mail has announced it is rolling out new barcode stamps – and it means millions of existing ones will no longer be valid without paying extra costs from January 31, 2023.

Do you still use stamps? Let us know your thoughts about the price increases in the comments below.

If you want to use old-style stamps after January 2023, you’ll need to exchange them for barcoded stamps through the free Royal Mail “Swap Out” scheme.

This goes live on Thursday (March 31) and closes on March 31, 2023.

Royal Mail hasn’t said yet if there will be a limit on how many stamps you can swap, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on stocking up in a huge bulk and you may not use them all by January 2023.

The only stamps you’ll be able to use beyond January 2023 are the barcode stamps, collectable stamps and Christmas stamps.

Other stamps rising in price on April 4 include large letter stamps, which will increase to £1.45, up 16p, for 1st class and to £1.05, up 9p, for 2nd class.

A standard letter can weigh up to 100g and measure a maximum of 24cm x 16.5cm x 5mm.

Meanwhile, large letters can measure 35.3cm x 25cm x 2.5cm, but still have to weigh 100g or less.

The increase is just one of many household costs that are rising right now as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.

Energy bills are rising at an eye-watering rate from next month, with the price cap going up by almost £700 for those on a default rate paying by direct debit.

Council tax, mobile and broadband and water bills are also going up from April.

It comes as inflation has just surged to 6.2% and there are predictions that it will keep on rising this year.

Food bills are also estimated to cost us an extra £180 this year, according to experts at consultancy firm Kantar, as prices continue to spiral.