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Unused postage stamps without a barcode.

(20 Posts)
NotSpaghetti Tue 21-May-24 14:19:09

I thought the period for returning unused no-barcode stamps was gone but found dozen about a week ago. I sent off for a free return envelope and it's arrived today.
They must be still doing it.

Thought someone might like to know.

Charleygirl5 Tue 21-May-24 14:25:05

Where did you send off for the free return envelope?

NotSpaghetti Tue 21-May-24 15:01:51

www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps

I filled the form in but it looks like you can print it off and freepost.

Foxglove77 Sat 25-May-24 11:06:20

Special postage stamps (not those with just the Queens head) are still valid to use.

suelld Sat 25-May-24 11:20:07

Foxglove77

Special postage stamps (not those with just the Queens head) are still valid to use.

Like what…can you provide examples please.
Thanks

jan1956 Sat 25-May-24 11:23:26

daughter in law found a lot in an old drawer i printed the form and as said above sent it freepost they sent same number back with in a week.

Notsoold27 Sat 25-May-24 11:31:42

Any stamp without a queens head on is still valid. I’m sure you can google examples.

JaneJudge Sat 25-May-24 11:36:40

thanks for this as I've recently found some too

Secondwind Sat 25-May-24 12:00:06

suelld It’s things like Christmas stamps or commemorative stamps that are still OK, I think.

Witzend Sat 25-May-24 12:19:05

Bugger! I found several at dd and SiL’s house last week - dd is away and I was posting something for SiL - he thought they were still valid! I bought new ones and put the old ones in the bin.

Albangirl14 Sat 25-May-24 13:13:55

Thanks for this information and have now printed off form . When we looked at Royal Mail site a couple of months ago it did not give this option . The suggestion for using old stamps was as corners when making a scrapbook! Luckily we just put them back in the draw but now we can send them back.

blueberry1 Sat 25-May-24 13:53:17

Thank you, I found some a few days ago, glad I hung on to them!

NotSpaghetti Sat 25-May-24 15:09:01

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/use-it-swap-it-or-lose-it-83d289a4056e#:~:text=Stamps%20are%20changing&text=From%2031%20July%2C%202023%2C%20you,for%20the%20new%20barcoded%20ones.

Just found this.
About to send some off.

Chardy Sat 25-May-24 15:19:00

Thanks NotSpaghetti

Linda48 Sat 25-May-24 21:53:27

Thanks for the info - I found some old 2nd class ones recently & am now glad I didn’t throw them away - just completed the online form

Summerfly Sun 26-May-24 12:15:42

Thanks for that Notspaghetti. I’ve been clearing out draws and found loads. I’ll complete the form and send it off. 😊

NotSpaghetti Sun 26-May-24 14:08:12

Keeping fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly- I've just found £30 of pre-paid envelopes!

Smurf44 Wed 29-May-24 00:15:56

Yes. The Stamp Swap still works. My DD sent some off about 6 weeks ago and had the equivalent barcoded ones returned within a week. I did the same with an old booklet of 12 first class after she told me to download the form. My new bar coded stamps were returned very quickly and Yes, it is a FreePost address.

The whole stamp-swap fiasco must have cost Royal Mail/The Post Office a fortune. One can only wonder why it was really necessary. Was it because they knew that The PO was soon to be sold to a foreigner; a Slovakian from memory? It probably wasn’t to make us all clear out our drawers!

Nannan2 Wed 29-May-24 01:48:33

I had added my name in support of a petition to be emailed to my M.P. but i was sent a general reply from him from the house of commons and it was franked with the first class stamping of Queen Elizabeth the second-Should'nt that be the stamped bearing the head of King Charles the third now, on parlament post?

NotSpaghetti Wed 29-May-24 08:27:29

I think they should only have to replace franking machines once they need to.
King Charles was not in a rush to have his head on stamps and said so.