Royal Mail barcoding stamps - existing stamps valid only until 31 Jan 2023

molerat

subjecttocontract said:

Last week I bought 10 first class stamps from my local post office. There is no barcode......oblong, picture of holly and marked 1st class up to 100g........what the hell is going on ? Are they valid? They better be !

http://www.norphil.co.uk/2014/11b-Winter Greenery_pictorial_faststamp.htm
"Post & Go" stamp from 2014.  Still valid according to the rules ........ but it seems RM staff are not aware of the rules.

Money_Grabber13579

If the reason for the surcharge was insufficient postage, rather than invalid stamp, that would sound like it wasn’t the Christmas stamp which was the issue but that the value of the stamp was insufficient to cover the postage of the item in question.

What value was shown on the stamp? Was it an amount of pence or did it show 1st/2nd class? If it did show 1st/2nd class, are you sure that the item in question wasn’t over the size/weight limits? It doesn’t take very much for a letter to become a large letter.

in_my_wellies

My local in a newsagent PO refused to accept a letter with a Christmas stamp last Monday. Fortunately whilst I had been waiting in the queue I'd read their helpful poster about which stamps are not valid and which are. I pointed this out, she came round the counter to read it and agreed to accept my letter. I just hope the postie at the other end knows the rules

NBLondon

in_my_wellies said:

My local in a newsagent PO refused to accept a letter with a Christmas stamp last Monday. Fortunately whilst I had been waiting in the queue I'd read their helpful poster about which stamps are not valid and which are. I pointed this out, she came round the counter to read it and agreed to accept my letter. I just hope the postie at the other end knows the rules

If it was a letter with a stamp, why not just put it in a postbox?  (Certificate of Posting?)  You're right though - it's frightening how many PO staff don't know RM rules.   Or indeed, that the RM sorting office are making plenty of mistakes.

in_my_wellies

NBLondon said:

If it was a letter with a stamp, why not just put it in a postbox?  (Certificate of Posting?)  You're right though - it's frightening how many PO staff don't know RM rules.   Or indeed, that the RM sorting office are making plenty of mistakes.

Yes, I needed proof of posting with a date. 

Fellwalker

I’ve heard back from the Royal Mail.

 Christmas Stamps ARE VALID without needing a surcharge. 

 What they say is:-

              “All Definitive stamps are being barcoded. Definitive stamps are the regular ‘everyday’ stamps featuring the profile of HM The Queen.

We aren't barcoding special issue stamps printed as a one off to commemorate a person/event, these remain valid so don't need to be swapped out.

Previous years of non-barcoded Christmas Stamps will remain valid as postage so there is no requirement to swap them out.

If a Christmas stamp has been incorrectly surcharged you can log this as a complaint and request any refund via

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app/webforms/contact/c/310

Please accept our apologies.”

jazzy

I found a number of royal mail stamps which I mislaid several months ago. Is it too late to exchange them for barcoded stamps?

HonestJohn

jazzy said:

I found a number of royal mail stamps which I mislaid several months ago. Is it too late to exchange them for barcoded stamps?

No. There is currently no deadline for exchanging.

akh43

I have a commentrative book of Christmas stamps from 2011, 2 are 2nd class, large & small, 2 are 1st class, large & small and the other 3 are priced at 68p, £1.10 and £1.65.  Am I right in thinking the class ones and the £1.65 are fine to use as they are, the 68p will have to keep to put with another commentrative low value and the £1.10 would be classed as a second class and the £1.65 as large 2nd class?  Has anyone had any experience of using these type of stamps?  I would hate for the recipient to be charged as a result of my using the query ones.

Rantband

The value stamps are literally that, worth the value on them. Second class postage is 75p Second class large postage is £1.55. You need to add the appropriate value stamps to make up to to current postage rates.