Did you know that postage is going up?

[boxtops]

...on 4th April? A first class stamp will then cost 51p, and second class is going up too.

It seems quite a hike, and I've not noticed any publicity - it's only because the PO counter assistant mentioned it yesterday that I know about it at all!

Run out and buy some stamps now, before they go up - the ones marked 1st and 2nd will still be valid after the new rates come in.

[factor-fiction]

And superdrug have an offer on

[dotty.]

that's a 10p rise on a 1st class!

[dotty.]

I knew they were going up as we had an email about it at work but I didn't check the details, that's a 25% rise on a 1st class I think!

[SylvesterCat]

From the Royal Mail site

Royal Mail announces annual stamp price rises for April 2011

Royal Mail has announced its annual stamp price rises which will take effect from 4 April 2011. Following these increases, UK stamp prices for standard letters weighing up to 100g will continue to be amongst the lowest in Europe.

The announcement follows Postcomm’s decisions, published on 8 November, when the regulator said Royal Mail could increase the price of stamped mail services by 10% on average and individual stamped mail services by up to 13%. The overall increase to stamped mail prices will add around 7p to the average UK household’s weekly spend of around 60p on postage.

The main price increases are:

* The price of First and Second class stamps for standard items weighing up to 100g will rise by 5p to 46p and 4p to 36p respectively.
* The cost of a Large Letter stamp will rise by 9p to 75p for First Class items and 7p to 58p for Second Class mail.
* An increase in prices for franked mail by 3p to 39p for standard First Class items and by 3p to 28p for Second Class Mail. This is the first increase for two years on franked mail following a price freeze last year.


Their price rise does not match yours >> The price of First and Second class stamps for standard items weighing up to 100g will rise by 5p to 46p and 4p to 36p respectively.<<

[SylvesterCat]

2011 Royal Mail tariff: April/May price increases

by Chris Dawson

Royal Mail have announced their price changes for this year. There are two different price changes, one tariff for stamps and franking (opens in .pdf) customers which comes into effect on the 4th April 2011 and another tariff for account customers (opens in .pdf)which will be introduced on the 9th May 2011.

The cost of a basic 1st class stamp will rise for those buying stamps from 41p to 46p, a 12% price increase. As a seller on eBay you’ll need to check the prices for the service and weights of the products you sell, but expect the cost of posting a 251-500g packet to rise from £2.24 to £2.48 a 10.7% price rise.

[boxtops]

Thanks Sylvester - got my wires crossed a bit then, the 51p is wrong in my OP - it's 41p at the moment, going up to 46p. That's nearly ten shillings in old money!!!

I tried to get a leaflet yesterday but the PO haven't got them in yet.

As your second post says - necessary for those of us who sell on eBay, with items finishing after 4 April, all our postage will go up!

[spudqueen]

You should come to the Post Office where I work boxtops, I would gladly give you one of the leaflets that we received a couple of weeks ago, detailing all the new postage rates from April 4th.

[boxtops]

Thank you spudqueen, there are none round here - OH went down to look today and all they gave him was a leaflet about rates from January 2011.

[boxtops]

Eddie - even better, if you have a bit of spare cash - buy the packs of 100 stamps. £41.00 now, £46 in a few days' time. Get your Christmas card stamps now!

[Prudie]

OMG over 10/- to post a letter.

[DTCwordfan]

And where is the service in the Royal Snail, if they offered an uber-efficient service the rises maybe justified. After their recent performance, this is just not on.

Open them up to full competition

[boxtops]

Nice sheep, DT ;-)

[hc4361]

Those who begrudge the cost of the stamp can always deliver by hand.
See how far you'd get for 41p.

[Postdog]

You watch the price go up once it's privatised.....

[Jemisa]

I've still got some (10) second class Christmas stamps left, can I still use them? - Without having to buy a stamp to make up the difference.

jem

[AlBags]

Why the ruddy hell they don't drop second class and have a standard service .. all first .. I do not know.
What do you think that happens with second class mail to get it delivered slower? It costs time and money to separate it, and hold it back in a warehouse somewhere, when it could ALL be delivered together.
No wonder Royal Mail will be bust soon .. and be taken over. Good.

[spudqueen]

Of course you can still use Christmas stamps that say 1st or 2nd on them. In fact you can use ANY stamps that say 1st, 2nd, Large 1st or Large 2nd on them, no matter when you bought them, they are still valid for the service it says on it. And you can use any stamps since decimalisation, so if you've still got a couple of 12 1/2p stamps lying around you can stick them on an envelope, though you'd have to make the postage up to the correct amount with other stamps.