Great Britain to raise rates

Great Britain’s Royal Mail has announced a rate increase to go into effect March 30.

The two basic domestic letter rates will each increase by 1 penny. The price for a first-class stamp will go from 62p to 63p, and the price for a second-class stamp from 53p to 54p.

In announcing the rate increase, Royal Mail said that its “stamp prices remain among the best value in Europe,” adding that the European average for first-class letters weighing up to 100 grams is 72p and is 62p for second-class mail.

In addition, the price of a large letter first-class stamp, for mail weighing up to 100 grams, will rise by 2p to 95p. A large letter second-class stamp will increase by 1p to 74p.

According to Royal Mail’s regulations, standard letters can be up to 240 millimeters long, 165mm wide, 5mm thick and weigh up to 100 grams. 

Large letters can be up to 353mm long, 250mm wide, 25mm thick and weigh up to 750 grams.

Also on March 30, Royal Mail will simplify and cut the prices for second-class medium-size parcels. Such parcels weighing up to 2 kilograms will be priced at £4.89, a savings of up to £3.11, according to Royal Mail.

The price for small parcels, also up to 2 kilogram, will remain at the Christmas promotion price of £2.80.

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