How much do first and second class stamps cost? | The Sun

IF you're looking to post a letter or a birthday card anytime soon you'll be keen to know how much a stamp costs.

Remember though, the price changes depending on what kind you buy and how fast you want your mail to arrive.

You also have to pay more for postage depending on the size or weight of an item.

Below we reveal everything you need to know.

How much is a first class stamp?

Sending a letter first class is the quickest option, but also the most expensive.

Any mail delivered this way will typically arrive within one to two working days of sending it.

The cost of a first class stamp is increased from £1.10 to £1.25 for a standard letter in October 2023.

This can weigh up to 100g and measure a maximum of 24cm x 16.5cm x 5mm.

Most read in Money

CHOC HORROR

Cadbury says ‘sorry’ as customers find HUGE issue with Christmas Roses tins

THREE CHEERS

Punters cheer ‘Christmas is back on’ with thousands of pubs saved from closing

HOLY SMOKE

Cost of cigarette pack to rise from TONIGHT in huge blow to smokers

LEWIS LIFTED

‘Sigh of relief’ for millions, Martin Lewis says in mini-Budget verdict

The stamps can be bought individually from a Post Office counter.

Otherwise, you can usually buy them in booklets of multiple stamps.

A book of eight stamps currently costs £10 from Royal Mail.

This is obviously the same price as buying eight stamps individually.

However, buying a book saves you the hassle of going back and forth to the Post Office.

If you want to send an item first class that's bigger than a standard letter, the cost of the stamp increases.

What can I send with a first class stamp?

How much is a second class stamp? 

Posting a letter or parcel second class is cheaper than first class but it takes longer for it to arrive.

Typically, it takes two to three working days for a second class item to arrive, including Saturday.

A second class stamp for a standard letter costs 75p – you can buy second class stamps individually from the Post Office.

But you can also currently get them in a book of eight for £6 at a variety of different shops, like supermarkets and off-licences.

If you want to send a large letter weighing up to 100g, it will cost you £1.15.

Large letters that weigh up to 250g, will cost £1.85,  ones weighing up to 500g will cost £2.40 and those weighing up to 750g will cost £2.70.

But like first class stamps, you can send small and medium parcels with second class stamps.

Sending a small parcel that weighs up to 2kg cost £3.49.

Meanwhile, medium parcels cost £5.49 to send second-class if they weigh up to 2kg and cost £6.99 if they weigh up to 10kg.

For a parcel that ways up to 20kg, you'd pay £10.49.

With second class stamps, you also can't send large parcels so will have to send your package via a different parcel service.

Do stamps have an expiry date?

Stamps with no monetary value indicated on them do not usually expire but a big change which came this year invalidated old-style stamps.

Since July 31, 2023, you have not been able to use the style of stamps featuring an image of the Queen's head.

Now, only the new style stamps complete with their new barcodes are valid, and you'll face a surcharge trying to use anything otherwise.

How are postage prices decided?

The Royal Mail typically increases the price of stamps annually and last year the price rose in April.

Normally, it gives customers advance warning of around a month before pushing up prices.

This year the hike was announced in March and the price of first class stamps also rose by 15p to £1.25 on October 2.

The Royal Mail said they are rising due to "increasing cost pressures".

It also said the lack of reform to the universal service obligation, which requires the firm to deliver letters six days a week to all 32million UK addresses for the same price, had contributed to the hike.

Source: Read Full Article