The deadline to use up non-barcoded stamps has been extended until 31 July 2023.
Royal Mail previously announced that the cut-off for using older stamps would be 31 January 2023, but after complaints the deadline has been extended by six months.
In another change of policy, Royal Mail have announced that swap-out forms and freepost envelopes can now be picked up in post offices. Previously the forms were only available online, meaning a computer and printer was required to print out the form and return it.
The u-turn has been prompted by a campaign in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, which called for a delay on ‘the ban on old stamps for a year – giving two Christmases for Brits to use them up; Ending the convoluted process to swap stamps for new ones.’
The Daily Mail website explained that the u-turn now means ‘a member of Post Office staff can answer any questions – and then take the envelope over the counter.’
The report also added: ‘In an ideal world, staff at post offices would swap stamps there and then. But Royal Mail says the necessary checks to ensure that postage stamps are not fake cannot be done on the spot, and we have to believe them.’
Royal Mail introduced barcoded stamps – actually the digital code on the designs is more like a QR code – on 1 February 2022. The move was said to be part of the company’s ‘extensive and ongoing modernisation drive.’
