Do now where your old stamps are? Regular stamps without a barcode are no longer valid for postage. And you could be out of pocket if you send post with the now defunct stickers. The move is part of the Company's extensive and ongoing modernisation drive but what do you think of the move?
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00:00 Regular stamps without a barcode are no longer valid for postage.
00:06 If people send mail with these stamps it'll be treated as if there's insufficient postage.
00:11 Any item that has insufficient postage is subject to a surcharge of £1.10.
00:17 There's an exception to this though.
00:20 Special stamps with pictures on and christened stamps without a barcode will continue to be valid and do not need to be swapped out.
00:28 The move is part of Royal Mail's extensive and ongoing modernisation drive.
00:33 The company say this will enable the introduction of added security features and pave the way for innovative services for their customers.
00:43 We've been on the streets of Liverpool to see what you make of the move.
00:48 Why are they changing all of that?
00:50 What's the idea of it when something's run so smoothly and they decide to change it?
00:57 Everything's just gone to like the well now.
01:00 We're just all getting turned into robots, all the technology they've got.
01:05 Last Christmas I sent my Christmas cards and only three out of 21 got delivered.
01:13 I want to know where my other ones have gone.
01:17 As I say, every now and then it comes up and you have to send one but it's a long drawn out process.
01:27 Now you've got to go and get the stamps, you've got to write the letter, you've got to send.
01:31 It's much easier with the internet.
01:37 Like I don't use my cell phone, my daughter does so she helps me out with it.
01:43 We sent about 150 Christmas cards so I don't think it'll be that much this year.
01:50 The stamps that have changed are the stamps that will be very familiar to you.
01:54 They feature the profile of Her Late Majesty the Queen on a plain coloured background.
01:59 The barcodes enable new services by connecting physical stamps to the digital world through the Royal Mail app.
02:07 The company is planning to get customers to scan their code with the app allowing them to watch videos and even send birthday messages to each other.
02:17 There was an introduction of a six month grace period from the initial 31st of January deadline.
02:24 So people had a chance to use up their old style stamps.
02:27 With that period now ended you can no longer use these but you can swap them out.
02:34 If you've not been able to use them up you can send them in to the Royal Mail and they'll exchange them for barcoded stamps.
02:42 You can print out a swap out form from the Royal Mail website or contact their customer experience team who will post a form out to you.
02:51 You can also pick up the form from your local post office along with a free post envelope.
02:56 However, the post office won't be able to actually swap your stamps for barcoded ones.