Price of first class stamps to rise to £1.80

Stamp prices are set to rise again next month, Royal Mail has announced.

From 7 April, the price of a first class stamp will increase by 10p to £1.80, while a second class stamp will go up by 4p to 91p.

Ten years ago, a first class stamp cost 64p while a second class stamp was 55p.

Royal Mail said the increases reflected the continued rise in delivery costs, as letter volumes decline while the number of addresses increases. But the rise was criticised by Citizens Advice who said stamp prices "can't be treated as a dial that is turned up without a clear justification for consumers".

Royal Mail's managing director of letters, Richard Travers, said: "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," he added.

"In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by four million to 32 million addresses across the UK."

But the jump in stamp prices over the past few years, together with Royal Mail's poor delivery performance, has angered many consumer groups.

That followed an investigation by Ofcom after Royal Mail missed its targets for both first and second-class post in 2024-25.

Reacting to the latest rise in stamp prices, Anne Pardoe, head of policy at Citizens Advice, said Royal Mail could not keep "forcing people to dig deeper into their pockets for a failing service".

"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.

"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."