Royal Mail will soon introduce a massive change to the way we pay for our postage.
By early next year, traditional stamps - which have been used for over five decades - will become invalid and effectively worthless. Despite this, there's no need to panic as your old stamps can be traded for new ones before the deadline hits.
By January 31, 2023, stamps will come equipped with a barcode and will continue to display the visage of Queen Elizabeth II for now. While the old stamps will become invalid by next year, shops and Post Offices should already be selling the brand-new stamps, ensuring that customers have plenty of time to adjust, the Mirror reports.
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Explaining the switch, Royal Mail said: “The move is part of the company’s extensive and ongoing modernisation drive and will allow the unique barcodes to facilitate operational efficiencies, enable the introduction of added security features and pave the way for innovative services for customers.”
The barcodes' extra security allows mail handlers to scan stamps while creating a digital footprint which will be extremely useful for customers using the Royal Mail app. While 'everyday' stamps will have these barcodes, commemorative and Christmas stamps will not feature them.
What to do with your old stamps
Royal Mail has advised customers to either use up the stamps before the January deadline or swap them for new barcode ones. However, Post Offices will be unable to trade the stamps.
Instead, Royal Mail has set up the Stamp Swap Out scheme which allows customers to fill out a form and send it back with the old stamps. The process is already available to be used and no end date for it has yet been announced.
Regardless of whether you paid less for your traditional stamp than the current one, it will still be replaced with an equivalent new stamp. For example, if you send out a 1st class old stamp, you will get back a barcoded 1st class stamp.
However, stamps older than pre-decimalisation in 1971 cannot be exchanged.
How to get a Stamp Swap Out form
A form can be printed out at home and will allow customers to swap up to £200 worth of non-barcoded stamps. The form can be sent free of charge by writing on the envelope 'Freepost SWAP OUT'.
However, if you have to swap out more than £200 worth of stamps then you can use the Bulk Stamp Swap Out form which the company recommends sending via a secure service. The preferred address to send this to is:
Royal Mail
Swap Out
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB
But, if you do not have a printer available, then you can sign a form online to have a Stamp Swap Out form sent to your house. Otherwise, you can call the Customer Experience Team on 03457 740740.
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