Thank you for finding that out! Sob, no more vintage stamps on cards 
I suppose you can add them as decorative extras if you have some kicking about still, but otherwise…
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My hope is that its only definitive stamps due to the high number of counterfeits and resales (see ebay!)
Ahh good point - fingers crossed!! Nobody is going to counterfeit a 17p stamp from the 70s 
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Oh blooming’ ‘eck! If we really can’t use non-barcoded stamps after next January, I’d better start sending a LOT more postcards!! Got quite the stash to bust! 
Edited to add: Royal Mail website isn’t totally clear, but seems like this could just be for definitives, so existing special stamps might still be fine after next Jan…?
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No need to panic! Royal Mail will swap old for new. If they were to add special stamps, it will cost a fortune. As long as the stamp is unused you can use any issued since 1971!
They have had a problem with stamps being used more than once for years. The solution would be to cancel every stamp, either by franking machine or posties pen. change the currency… well, that ship has sailed or add a barcode.
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This is not going to stop counterfeits, I’m sure that at this moment they are looking for Plum Purple ink! Next year ebay will be full of sellers claiming that their barcoded stamps are unused. The difference from today is that the postcard/letter will be found by Royal Mail and not delivered.
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Royal Mail “First” publicity leaflet indicates that 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2, £3 and £5 stamps will be replaced with barcoded stamps on the 4th of April 2022
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Shops like Philatelink will go out of business 
Who’s going to risk buying old stamps from them if they’re unusable next year? I know I won’t buy any more until I’m close to using up my current stash, and that will be months away, possibly next year. I hope whoever suggested it above is correct, and it’s just the definitives that can’t be used.
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It is only barcoded stamps, so only definitive and Christmas 2021 will be included along with 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2, £3 and £5.
Special/Commemorative stamps are not included
You will be able to swap old stamps for new from the end of March. The best policy I guess would be to use the ‘old’ ones between now and next January and only buy ‘new’ when needed.
Shops like Philatelink will be able to swap old for new but its going to be time consuming! The biggest loss will be for the ebay sellers who sell ‘unused’ stamps as the Royal Mail will weed out the counterfeits and used but unfranked.
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Anyone wanting Clarification should read here, but what has been discussed above has pretty much covered it.
https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps
Some of the Newspaper articles online, haven’t explained in detail about it only being Definitive & Christmas Stamps Only hence some are panicking about all stamps being affected.
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As I did above! 
With all this change, the old ones that Royal Mail are still selling, I wonder when they will go like to half price? If they go to that!
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I came here about the phasing out of non barcode stamps too. I have way, way over £1000 worth of decimal commemoratives as I’m a collector and also love putting pretty stamps on my Postcrossing cards, it’s such a bonus if I can match up with a recipient’s interests. I only added to my post 1970 collection because I knew if I got bored of stamp collecting I could use those ones for postage.
I’d feel a lot happier if they explicitly stated commemoratives would still be valid (what I’ve read thus far looks like implication to my literal mind).
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The one type I’m still wondering about here is the country definitives. I have loads of Scottish lion 1sts and Northern Irish green fields 1sts. Everything I’ve read seems to suggest it’s all about Machins and Christmas, but I wonder if these will also become invalid in their current form because they’re not really ‘special’ stamps. Anyway, I really like these ones so I’ve suddenly started using them more since this news, topping them up with some lower value old stamps. Sending them off into the world rather than having to swap them back in if they’re included!
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This only applies to Definitive and Christmas stamps. Special issues/Commemoratives are unaffected, which means that the older ones from 1971 will remain valid. If the Royal Mail issue a stamp with a barcode then the non barcoded version will be deleted and you will be able to swap it for a new stamp of the same value.
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No news of what will happen. There are rumours that they may go… but that will not go down well. Guesses are they will continue without a barcode. The Royal Mail are after the large amounts of counterfeit First Class Definitives that are coming from the east.
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I certainly hope not!
They are some of my favourite ‘normal stamps’ it was the 2018 country set that help me start postcrossing.
I can’t help but wonder if this is one of many changes that the British Public will have to get used to.
I mean as in when the Queen dies, there will be sizemic changes.
… at least 50 years worth of stamps will no longer be valid, let alone Barcodes.
Since posting above, I’ve RE-read the RM page, and I can understand the ambiguity about special stamps
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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Don’t put pressure on the Queen!
When she has ceased to be and joined the choir invisible, you will still be able to use the stamps. All the new issues will be with Charles. I’m almost certain they have already started on the new design. The last major change in 1971 was when the currency went decimal, until then you could use any stamp issued before. It was not unusual to find King George VI stamps on Letters and Postcards up to 1971. The same applied to coins and notes.
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