Stamps without a barcode won’t be accepted for postage after today.
A scannable barcode will now be present on every stamp as part of a new initiative to digitalize them.
In February of last year, barcoded stamps were introduced, enabling users to view additional content like movies and messages from senders.
The plan, according to Royal Mail, will increase productivity and incorporate more “security features.” In the future, the technology is anticipated to advance and find new applications.
In order to allow individuals more time to use them up, the expiration date for stamps without a barcode was extended by six months from the initial end-of-January date.
Old-style stamps, however, will be considered to have inadequate postage as of tomorrow, August 1, and will incur a £1.10 fee.
However, anyone who still has stamps without a barcode can still trade them in for fresh ones.
By printing and completing this Stamp Swap Out form, you can exchange up to £200 worth of non-barcoded stamps if you have a printer.
No other address information or postcode is required; simply write “Freepost SWAP OUT” on the envelope and include the form with your stamps to send it without paying postage.
Use the Bulk Stamp Swap Out form if you have a printer and more than £200 worth of stamps to exchange.
It needs to be delivered to the following address: Royal Mail, Swap Out, Tallents House, 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
By filling out this form, you can ask for a Stamp Swap Out form to be mailed to you if you don’t have access to a printer.
Forms for stamp exchanges can also be obtained at the customer service desk at your neighbourhood delivery offices.
At a post office, you cannot directly exchange your stamps.
The Queen’s face-themed barcoded stamps are still in use. In April, the first stamps bearing the image of King Charles were made available.
Due to the inevitable discontinuation of the Queen’s stamps, we will likely see two monarchs on our post for a number of years, which is unusual given how long it has been.