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Royal Mail has warned that certain stamps will become invalid in the New Year, meaning customers may be charged extra when sending their post.
After January 31, 2023, the postal company will only accept mail with barcoded stamps on it. These will have the Queen’s picture on them, but non-barcoded Christmas or special collection stamps will also be accepted after that date.
If you send a letter or parcel with the “old” traditional stamps, you could be hit with a fee. But customers can swap their existing stamps for the new barcoded ones before the deadline, Liverpool Echo reports.
People are also being urged to use up any existing stamps that they have before the end of January.
If you don’t manage to do this, an exchange system is now in place for those who don’t think they will be able to use the stamps before the cut off point. Royal Mail’s “Swap Out” scheme lets you exchange the stamps for free by completing a form.
You need to use a standard form for stamps worth up to £200, or a bulk stamp form for stamps worth more than £200. You cannot take the stamps to the Post Office to be swapped.
Stamp Swap Out forms can be downloaded here. Alternatively, if you don’t have access to a printer you can request a Stamp Swap Out form to be posted to you here.
According to the Royal Mail website, sending letters without postage means you’ll have to pay a fee of £2.
Meanwhile, people have been urged to post their Christmas deliveries as soon as possible, with the first deadline being today (Monday December 12).
Royal Mail 2nd Class, 2nd Class Signed For & Royal Mail 48 post all must be delivered today for guaranteed arrival before Christmas.
Also this week is the deadline for posting 1st Class 1st, Class Signed For, Royal Mail 24 & Royal Mail Tracked 48, falling on Friday December 16.
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