New stamps farce: Royal Mail adverts still say use old ones by end of January despite extending the deadline by six months

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Royal Mail is still advising customers to use up their old stamps by January 31, despite extending the deadline to use them by six months.

It is rolling out stamps with barcodes that can be tracked, making post more secure.

As part of this, Royal Mail launched a scheme to exchange old-style stamps for new ones.

Deadline gaffe: Royal Mail is rolling out stamps with barcodes that can be tracked and has launched a scheme to exchange old-style stamps for new ones

The deadline to use old stamps was extended from January 31 2023, to July 31 2023, following a Mail campaign.

But Royal Mail’s website and its social media adverts still state that the deadline is January 31, creating widespread confusion.

Royal Mail says the additional six months are a ‘grace period’ in which customers will not be charged extra if they use a non-barcoded stamp and their post will still be delivered as normal.

Yet adverts on social media last week said: ‘After January 31 2023, regular stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid.’

A spokesman for Royal Mail says the deadline for non-barcoded stamps remains January 31 2023, but confirms customers will still be granted the ‘grace period’.

Money Mail revealed last month how Royal Mail’s stamp swap scheme had descended into chaos, with customers facing long delays and receiving far fewer stamps back than they sent off.

The process to swap stamps involves filling in a lengthy form and posting off the old-style stamps.

The scheme has come under heavy criticism from customers and MPs.

In November, we revealed that Royal Mail had mistakenly sent letters to almost 3,000 customers claiming it had not received any stamps with their swap form.

The new barcodes allow customers to track letters and parcels through the Royal Mail’s mobile app and website. They also make stamps harder to counterfeit.

Stamps without a barcode will no longer be accepted from July 31, excluding Christmas and commemorative stamps.

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