The cost of a first class stamp will soon rise to 95p as Royal Mail announces a 10p hike, as well as a 2p increase for second class stamps.
It’s been confirmed that from 4th April 2022, the price of a first class stamp for a standard letter will shoot up from 85p to 95p, whilst second class will go from 66p to 68p. For large letters, the price will increase by 16p to £1.45 for first class and 9p to £1.05 for second class.
A lack of letters being sent and increased running costs are being blamed for the price increases, with Royal Mail saying that around 60% fewer letters are being sent now than in 2005 – at a time when a stamp cost as little as 21p.
In the past 10 years alone, between 2012 and 2022, the price of a first class stamp has gone up 58% from 60p to 95p. Meanwhile, second class stamps have gone up 36% from 50p to 68p.
Nick Landon, Chief Commercial Officer of Royal Mail, has said:
“We understand that many companies and households are finding it hard in the current economic environment, and we will always keep our prices as affordable as possible.
“Whilst the number of letters our postmen and women deliver has declined from around 20billion a year to around 7billion since 2004/5, the number of addresses they have to deliver to has grown by around 3.5million in the same period.
“We need to carefully balance our pricing against declining letter volumes and increasing costs of delivering to a growing number of addresses six days a week.”
Article continues below this advertisement
Stamps are set to be replaced by barcodes in the near future, bringing an end to licking the monarch’s head.
Money saving tip, post 2nd class, in the
majority of cases it will still arrive the next day and you will save yourself a
few Bob.
1st class cost for a third class service. Would only use this dreadful company as a last resort. Even if they have to deliver to more properties nationally, if letter post is down 60% how can their costs be rising? Because posties are all driving around in vans instead of delivering on foot or by bike?
Fewer letters and more parcels. Letters are easy money when they are already doing the round. Parcels take up space and necessitate vans instead of foot or bike so yes costs would be up. Fewer letters just means lower income. Selling off royal mail was a terrible idea.
‘how can their costs be rising?’ It’s quite simple really, there’s less letters etc to deliver but the same number of places to deliver to therefore the cost per item will be higher.
Wrong. For example, if you have 1,000 letters to deliver among 10,000 houses how does delivering 600 letters among 20,000 houses cost more? Fewer deliveries means less cost not more.
Wrong. For example, if one household used to receive 5 letters a day, and now they receive 2, and there are more houses. Plus more package’s that require a signature.
Not to mention all of the junk mail.
But less personal letters.
Do the maths…..Lol.
If a postman’s average round delivered 1000 letters that’s 1000 x stamp income. Now he walks the same distance and RM gets 60% less stamp income. Basic maths, obviously beyond some people…
”fewer letters are being sent now than in 2005 – at a time when a stamp cost as little as 21p.” Hmm, my guess is when the price goes up even less letters will be sent… and so on….
Not surprising , the cost is ridiculous, I posted a parcel to my friend in Southampton for next day delivery £7-50 …..
6 day’s later she got it ….
Apparently it was due to covid absence!!!! My friend has said this has been going on since mid June last year!
Cheaper to e mail text etc than post a letter ……
The article is about the cost of a stamp for a first class LETTER not parcel post, Special Delivery etc. They are two separate things. A stamp for a letter will cost 95p not £7.50p.
The typical attitude of bean counters. Not using the service so stick the price up so even less can afford to pay. Email is so much faster and more reliable.
Have you noticed what is being posted in the picture? A brown envelope. To where?
I guess I might be in the minority who think that, if you HAVE to send a physical document, 95p to get it from one end of the country to the other, usually the next day, isn’t bad? We all obviously send far less letters than ever before but if you need to send something by post then I don’t see 95p as extortionate. Try getting it there yourself cheaper!
I agree, the reason for the price rises is becouse they HAVE to buy law provide a universal service six days a week.
It cost the same to post a letter to your next door neighbour as it does to post a letter from the IW to the isle of sky and in theory they should arrive at the same time. Not a bad service for 95p.
Remember going on holiday and sending half a dozen postcards?
Awww happy days.
What is Royal about the mail nowadays?