Consumer champion Martin Lewis has issued an urgent call for households to bulk-buy stamps immediately, ahead of a dramatic price increase set for April 7 that will see costs soar by 137% compared to 2020 levels. The Money Saving Expert founder emphasised that this long-standing advice remains critical as postal charges continue their relentless upward trajectory.
Stamp Prices Set to Skyrocket
Royal Mail has confirmed that from April 7, first-class stamps will increase by 10p to £1.80, while second-class stamps will rise by 4p to 91p. This represents the eighth consecutive price hike for first-class mail and the sixth for second-class over the past six years, pushing the cost of sending a standard letter well over double what it was in 2020.
Martin Lewis's Bulk-Buy Strategy
In his latest guidance, Martin Lewis explained: "For years, every time stamps go up in price I've suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance, as provided the stamp doesn't have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it's still valid after the hike. So you may as well stock up now, even if it's just for Christmas cards for the next few Christmases."
This practical advice allows consumers to lock in current prices before the April increase takes effect, potentially saving significant amounts on future postal needs.
Royal Mail's Performance Concerns
The price increases come amid growing scrutiny of Royal Mail's service performance. The company has repeatedly missed its delivery targets, with the last time it met annual first-class delivery standards being in 2019-20. Recent months have seen particular concerns about "chaos" in the postal service since Christmas, with reports of letters being delivered in "batches" rather than daily.
Citizens Advice Calls for Accountability
Anne Pardoe, head of policy at Citizens Advice, voiced strong criticism: "More than half-a-decade has gone by since the company met its delivery targets and people still face a gamble, with many uncertain if their important documents or letters like medical appointments will arrive on time. Things only risk getting worse when cuts to delivery days and reduced performance targets come into full effect. Against this backdrop, Ofcom simply cannot wave through these increases any longer. Higher prices must come with higher standards – increases should be tied to Royal Mail’s performance on the doorstep."
Royal Mail's Justification
Royal Mail defends the price increases by pointing to rising delivery costs as letter volumes decline and the number of addresses increases. Richard Travers, managing director of letters at Royal Mail, stated: "We always consider price changes very carefully, balancing affordability with the rising cost of delivering mail. On average, UK adults now spend just £6.50 each year on stamps and there are 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago. In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by four million to 32 million addresses across the UK."
European Price Comparisons
The company also noted that despite the increases, UK stamps remain cheaper than the European average, where second-class stamps typically cost £1.56 and first-class stamps average £1.93.
Service Reform Controversy
Royal Mail, now owned by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's EP Group following a £3.6 billion acquisition last June, continues to push for service reforms. Ofcom has already cleared the way for scrapping Saturday second-class deliveries and moving to an every-other-weekday service, with pilot programs running in 35 delivery offices.
However, negotiations with the Communications Workers Union (CWU) have proven difficult, with month-long talks ending on March 2 without agreement, though they have been extended for two additional weeks to seek resolution.
Mr Travers emphasised the urgency: "To protect the service for the future we need to urgently move forward with implementing universal service reform to support a more modern, more reliable and more sustainable service for our customers."
As the April 7 deadline approaches, Martin Lewis's advice to bulk-buy stamps represents one of the few ways consumers can mitigate the impact of these substantial price increases while Royal Mail's service performance remains under intense scrutiny from both regulators and the public.
