When do stamps turn into invalid? How to interchange Royal Mail stamps with out barcodes
C
ustomers have simply weeks left to make use of or swap their outdated stamps after Royal Mail launched barcoded stamps final 12 months to enhance safety and effectivity as a part of the corporate’s modernisation drive.
In January, Royal Mail prolonged the deadline by six months for utilizing non-barcoded stamps, following the introduction of barcoded stamps in February 2022. As a end result, stamps that includes the late Queen’s profile that don’t have barcodes will quickly be invalid.
Find out which stamps are affected and how one can swap yours for the brand new editions under.
Which stamps will now not be legitimate?
While each barcoded and non-barcoded stamps are presently in circulation, from July 31 stamps with out barcodes that function the late Queen’s profile will now not be legitimate. All normal decimal Machin sequence definitive stamps – together with no-value-indicated stamps (equivalent to 1st class, 2nd class, 1st class massive letter, 2nd class massive letter) and make-up worth stamps (equivalent to 1p, 2p, 10p and £1) – and worldwide tariff stamps will now not be legitimate.
All nation definitive stamps, together with Regional/Country Machins (1971-1999) and the substitute Country Emblems (1999 to current) will now not be legitimate both.
However, particular version stamps with out barcodes, equivalent to Christmas stamps or commemorative stamps, will nonetheless be legitimate.
How do you swap non-barcoded stamps?
People with non-barcoded stamps that includes the Queen are urged to make use of them earlier than July 31. However, in the event that they know they gained’t use them by then, they will swap them for stamps with barcodes.
The Royal Mail has launched a scheme to assist folks swap to barcoded stamps, which may be accessed on the Royal Mail web site. However, stamps can’t be swapped at post places of work. Royal Mail has not but set a deadline for the swap scheme to finish so.