Only 2 weeks left before stamp prices go up — here’s what you need to know
Royal Mail has announced a first class stamp will increase from £1.10 to £1.25 from 2 October. That means you have 2 weeks left before the price rises. Read on to find out what you need to know.
Does this just affect first class, or will Royal Mail raise prices for other stamps?
Some other letters will be more expensive too. For example, the price of a 100g second class Large letter will increase by 35% to £1.55.
However, the price of a normal second class stamp won’t increase in October. This is because the regulator Ofcom has put in place a price cap. This cap protects consumers from sudden increases like those we see from Royal Mail on other stamps. We recently pushed to keep this price cap in place.
What about barcoded stamps?
As of 31 July this year, Royal Mail has added a surcharge to most letters sent with a non-barcoded stamp. Make sure your stamps have a barcode on them — if you still have non-barcoded stamps lying around, you can exchange these for free by sending them to Royal Mail. We can help you understand more about barcoded stamps.
What can I do to save money?
At Citizens Advice, we know people continue to face cost of living pressures. If you need to send letters, here’s 3 things you could consider to save money:
1. Stock up on stamps before 2 October
Have you thought about buying stamps before the prices increase? If you buy them at today’s prices, you’ll still be able to use them after 2 October. This is the case for stamps that say “1st” or “2nd”.
2. Consider second class stamps
Second class stamps cost 75p, almost half the price of first class ones. A second class letter should arrive 2 or 3 days after posting — consider second class stamps as an alternative if you don’t need it to arrive the next day. And, while Royal Mail has struggled to meet its delivery targets for some time, second class services are actually more reliable. The latest data shows 91% of second class post arrived within 3 working days.
3. Buy postage online
If you’re able to access and use the internet, you might save money by buying postage online. That’s because Royal Mail charges different prices for some products depending on whether you buy them online or in-person. You can find a list of prices on Royal Mail’s website.
We’ve called on the regulator Ofcom to investigate the higher prices sometimes charged to buy postage in-person. But it’s worth checking as prices can still be different in certain cases.
The bigger picture
This will be the third time in 18 months that Royal Mail has raised prices. The latest increase means a first class stamp will be almost 50% more expensive than it was in March 2022. It comes at a time when Royal Mail has failed to hit its first class delivery target for 4 out of the last 5 years.
This means people have to pay more for a worse service. Our research found widespread letter delays both in December 2022 and June 2023, with around 60% of UK adults affected over Christmas.
We’ve repeatedly called on the regulator Ofcom to take stronger enforcement action on Royal Mail delivery failures. In June, we recommended a root and branch review into letter delays and the deprioritisation of letters. We’ve also called for Ofcom to keep a meaningful affordability price cap in place. It’s time to end the cycle of postal consumers paying more and getting less.
Need more help?
If you experience a problem with post and would like some advice, you can find out more on our website or contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline.
