Royal Mail: 100 days left to use stamps without a barcode

Royal Mail is urging people to use up stamps that do not have a barcode by 31 January, when they will no longer be valid for postage.

It says the deadline in exactly 100 days affects "everyday" stamps featuring the late Queen's profile.

Barcoded stamps were introduced in February to make deliveries more efficient and improve security.

Customers will still be able to use themed, commemorative and non-barcoded Christmas stamps after the deadline.

Anyone unable to use older everyday stamps by 31 January will be able to exchange them for newer barcoded ones free of charge.

However, the older, non-barcoded stamps cannot be swapped at post offices. People will need to fill out a 'Swap Out' form and send the old stamps to a Royal Mail freepost address.

Royal Mail says that, at present, there is no end date for when the older stamps can be swapped.

The advice from Royal Mail about using the older stamps is not connected to the change of monarch. It says further details on the launch of stamps featuring King Charles will be made at the appropriate time after consultation with the Royal Household.

Details of stamp swap scheme

• Regular 1st and 2nd Class "everyday" stamps - the normal stamps that were available in books of six or 12 - that feature the profile of the late Queen Elizabeth but no unique barcode will no longer be valid from 31 January

• The new stamps are used in exactly the same way, but show a barcode on them

• Non-barcoded Christmas and other special stamps with pictures on continue to be valid for postage and should not be submitted for swap out

• Stamps that have already been used for postage will not be accepted on the swap out scheme.

Royal Mail introduced barcoded stamps in February, saying they would open up possibilities for "new innovative services."

The long-term plan is that people will be able to watch videos, find out information and send birthday messages to each other through the barcodes which can be scanned with the Royal Mail app.

Analysts Mintel said it reflected how widespread smartphone ownership had become as well as people's familiarity with QR codes - notably through the the NHS Track and Trace app during the pandemic.

The postal service launched a national awareness earlier this month reminding people to use up their non-barcoded stamps by the deadline.

Royal Mail, which hopes customers will use those stamps this Christmas, has sent leaflets to 31 million homes and placed adverts in newspapers, on the radio and on social media.