- By Faarea Masud
- Business reporter
Image supply, Getty Images
Time is operating out for folks to use any customary non-barcoded stamps as Monday is the final day they can be utilized to submit gadgets.
After Monday, clients sending mail with these stamps danger the recipient being given a surcharge of £1.10.
However, commemorative and non-barcoded Christmas stamps will nonetheless be legitimate.
People can swap their outdated stamps for barcoded stamps by means of Royal Mail’s Swap Out scheme, the place there is no such thing as a deadline for alternate.
Royal Mail stated: “A leaflet with a form [for the Swap Out scheme] was delivered to every household recently, but customers can also print out a form from our website; call our Customer Experience team to order one; or pick one up at a local Royal Mail delivery office or Post Office.”
The deadline for utilizing the outdated stamps was prolonged from 31 January as extra time was required for customers, Royal Mail stated.
After Monday, Royal Mail says a £1.10 surcharge payment can be utilized to mail despatched utilizing non-barcoded stamps. Those receiving mail despatched utilizing non-barcoded stamps can be given a “Fee to Pay”‘ card telling them they need to pay a surcharge earlier than the merchandise will be delivered.
Barcoded stamps have been launched in February final yr in an try to make deliveries extra environment friendly and enhance safety.
Barcoded stamps will take the place of older basic stamps
The transfer is a part of the corporate’s ongoing modernisation drive and can allow “added security features” and “pave the way for innovative services for customers in the future,” stated Matthew Parkes, managing director of Stamps and Collectibles at Royal Mail.
Those stamps eligible for swapping are the common 1st and 2nd Class “everyday” stamps, that includes the profile of the late Queen Elizabeth.
As non-barcoded Christmas and different particular stamps with footage on proceed to be legitimate for postage, they shouldn’t be submitted for swapping.
Stamps which have already been used for postage is not going to be accepted for the swap out scheme
Customers who print off a Swap Out scheme form can tackle an envelope to: Freepost SWAP OUT. No different tackle particulars are wanted, the agency stated.
Royal Mail’s long-term plan is for folks to scan the QR code, which will be scanned with the Royal Mail app, permitting them to watch movies and ship birthday messages to one another.
“The barcodes will enable exciting new services by connecting physical stamps to the digital world through the Royal Mail app,” the corporate stated on its web site.
