Stamp price change: How much are first and second class stamps? When will the price go up?

Royal Mail is due to increase the price of first and second class stamps, a move said to be the result of the rising cost of living and declining letter volumes. Currently, a first class stamp will set Britons back 88p, while a second class stamp costs 66p.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the number of letters being sent via Royal Mail has declined by one fifth.

Royal Mail chief commercial officer Nick Landon said he understood households across the nation were “finding it hard in the current economic environment” and vowed that the postal service “will always keep our prices as affordable as possible.”

He added: “We need to carefully balance our pricing against declining letter volumes and increasing costs of delivering to a growing number of addresses six days a week.

“As customer needs change and we see a greater shift from letters to parcels, it is vital that the universal service adapts to stay relevant and sustainable.”

Royal Mail is also due to roll out new barcoded stamps later in the year, meaning existing stamps will no longer be valid from January 31, 2023.

Stamps bought ahead of the price hike (not including those with prices on them) will be valid for use up until this date.

However, if you want to use them after January 2023, they’ll need to be exchanged for barcoded stamps.

The postal service will open a free “Swap Out” scheme on Thursday, March 31, which will run until March 31, 2023.