Stamps marked ‘1st’ or ‘2nd’ will become invalid within a year

Savvy consumers who might have stockpiled stamps now risk losing money if they don’t manage to use them within the next year. For many years, people have bought postage stamps branded as simply 1st or 2nd as a hedge against price rises.

It’s been possible to save hundreds of points by buying stamps in bulk, because they are still valid even when the price goes up. But all that’s about to change.

Royal Mail is bringing in new stamps with a barcode in the next few months. The stamps without a barcode will still be valid, and still be sold, until supplies run out, but only until January 31, 2023.

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After that, they will not be valid for use. That won’t be the case for special editions, which will still be valid, just the generic stamps.

If you can’t use your old-style stamps, it will be possible to swap them for new barcoded stamps. The swap scheme starts on March 31 this year and will run until March 31, 2023.

It will involve downloading a form from the Royal Mail website, or picking one up from post offices, and posting your non-barcoded stamps back to Royal Mail. It seems easier, probably, just to make sure you use as many as you can in the next 50 weeks.

Royal Mail says customers will be able to scan the barcodes in the Royal Mail app and will eventually be able to watch videos, information about services, or even birthday messages and other greetings from senders.

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