Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Royal Mail Announce Record Price Rises


A UK Postbox
It has been announced that the price of a first-class postage stamp here in the UK will rise on the 30th April 2012 to 60p, from its current 46p (a 30% rise). A second-class stamp will also go up, from 36p to 50p (a 39% increase).  All other classes of mail will follow suit and suffer an hike in price as well.


The regulator has lifted the restrictions on prices and has allowed the Royal Mail to set its own prices. Apparently the future of the service was at “severe risk” without the relaxing of the controls.


Over the next seven years, the price of second-class stamps will be capped at 55p but this limit could rise with inflation each year.


Postman Pat will be utterly dismayed
However persons receiving Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance, or Incapacity Benefit will still be able to purchase 36 stamps at Christmas to send greetings cards at the same prices as last year. If they have more than 36 friends they’ll have to stump up the same as the rest of us.



"We know how hard it is for households and businesses when our economy is as tough as it is now. No-one likes to raise prices in the current economic climate but, regretfully, we have no option," said Moya Greene, chief executive of Royal Mail.


She went on to say: "Royal Mail provides one of the highest quality postal services in Europe for among the lowest prices for both consumers and business."


So is this another forerunner of the total privatisation of the Royal Mail? - Quite likely!

Will these price rises be reflected with a 30%+ rise in the efficiency of the service? - Highly unlikely!

Can I hear the Royal Mail's death knell beginning to toll!

1 comment:

  1. We have all been waiting for a valid reason to abandon the ritual of Christmas card purchase/posting etc.

    This is it ....... bye bye domestic post

    ReplyDelete