Take particular note of the last paragraph 
“Should you post an item with a non-barcoded stamp after 31 January 2023 it will be liable to surcharge — as it will be the equivalent of it having no postage.”
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OMG! And like what will Philately Link do? It’s a long way off, but it’ll soon be here! On one had it will mean you shouldn’t lose an item as the article mentions “In turn the barcode stamp will cut down the number of items that disappear or are pilfered”… Which is good but sadly some of the older Queen Elizabeth Stamps which are lovely will no longer be valid, also i wonder when Charles or William will be going on them?
Thanks for this @Lissy99…
Ed
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Should you post an item with a non-barcoded stamp after 31 January 2023 it will be liable to surcharge — as it will be the equivalent of it having no postage.
If this is true then I can “swap” a lot of mint stamps. I still have a lot of mint stamps left from the holidays.
But I can’t use these stamps when I go back to the UK?
This has been discussed at length in this thread:.
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Hi yeah, I’d get those stamps used before then, if I were you to be on the safe side…
If I can help, let me know. 
All the best
Ed
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Hello @EDC83 ,
Thank you for your offer.
Maybe I can send the stamps to members who live in the UK. 
I have no idea if it will be possible to travel to the UK again this year.
I will think about it .
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Hi @JetteLise well I hope you can come back to the U.K this year, Lincoln is lovely… But if not, I’d be happy to swap, exchange stamps if you need to. My pleasure to help.
All the best
Ed
Please Note, the 31st January 2023 Deadline is only for Non-Barcoded Definitive & Christmas Stamps, this will not affect Special Pictorial Issue Stamps!
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According to the article there will be also an official swap out.
(non-barcoded stamps can be exchanged for the new barcoded version through Royal Mail’s ‘Swap Out’ scheme.
The ‘Swap Out’ scheme will open on 31 March 2022. Forms will be available via a variety of channels, including local Customer Service Points; the Royal Mail website and via our Customer Experience team. Customers will be able to use a Freepost address. Further details will be announced shortly.)
I would wait and see how this will be.
As pinched from the Royal Mail Stamps Web Shop…
Are you barcoding all stamps?
All Definitive stamps are being barcoded — including Christmas stamps. Definitive stamps are the regular ‘everyday’ stamps featuring the profile of HM The Queen created by the sculptor Arnold Machin. We aren’t barcoding special issue stamps — which are printed as a one off to commemorate a person/event and to celebrate the best of the UK’s contribution to the world.
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A post was merged into an existing topic: [Stamps] UK stamps, prices, Royal Mail & Post Office matters
Special issue, commemorative stamps will still be valid…It’s only definitive stamps since decimilisation without a bar code which will become invalid. Royal Mail have said these stamps can be swapped for the bar coded ones in due course if they haven’t been used by the deadline.
Have any UK postcrossers started using the new make-up value stamps?
I just sent a complaint to Royal Mail as the size of these stamps is ridiculous… They’re most than twice the size they were previously… Here’s an example of the back of a postcard, and that’s when you have the biggest values to make up… So if you run out of 0.05 and have to use 2x 0.02 and 1x 0.01 stamps, you are left with only the space for the address!!! But the alternative is to use bigger values that are above the required shipping costs…
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I guess RM expect you (and probably prefer) postcard writers to use a single stamp at the current domestic/airmail rate.
If I don’t use the £1.85 stamp, which I don’t like, I struggle to find the space to use more than one or two barcoded stamps.
There is a discussion in the British Isles section about the use of multiple barcode stamps.
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I dont use the barcoded stamps at all - only two first class stamps and they look fine on the postcard 
I usually use these two first class stamps from these special edition collections.
As a newbie to postcrossing i am struggling! A couple of members in their profile say 'if posting from UK no stamps with full profile of the Queen or Kings head only commerative stamps! ’ is it being picky or what! We dont have much choice in our village post-office! The pretty stamps are huge and take up alot of space. I love the official postcrossing stamps can we get them in England?
Don’t feel obliged to use what people prefer - it is just a preference.
You paid good money to send the cards out, and nice stamps are a bonus, not a necessity
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Thanks so much!! Ver encouraging! Thats what my husband said but i like to oblige when i can but my choices are limited in our village.
Perhaps you can consider Philatelink. They carry old stamps with a variety that makes for a more interesting presentation
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