Royal Mail urging people to check stamps they have before they become invalid

ROYAL Mail is urging people to check any stamps they have before they become invalid.

It comes as the company is adding barcodes to regular stamps, leaving those without obsolete from February.

After January 31, ‘non-barcoded stamps’ will no longer be able to be used for postage with people being advised to either use up these stamps or swap them for the new barcoded ones before the deadline.

It is part of the company’s ongoing modernisation drive. Royal Mail says the new unique barcodes will help make operations smoother and enable the introduction of added security features.

David Gold from Royal Mail said that with Christmas fast approaching, now is the perfect time to use up non-barcoded stamps when sending festive greetings to friends and family.

“The 100-day countdown to use up existing supplies of definitive stamps has now begun,” he said.

“Many of us have stamps kept in drawers and wallets, or in a tray on a desk or tucked away on the mantlepiece.

“With Christmas approaching, now is the perfect time to use them up. If that is not possible, customers are invited to swap them for barcoded stamps of the same value, completely free of charge.”

Barcodes are also being added to Christmas stamps. However, non-barcoded Christmas stamps will remain valid as postage after January 31 so Christmas stamps are not part of the swap out.