It does look like it is just being a bit slower. Checked a couple of top UK postcrossers for their recent stats… 4-8 days…
I’m also wondering, do you remember that Icelandic volcanic eruption disrupting air travel? Well, post then to western Europe didn’t seem to be any slower - so they go by ship/tunnel? I’m wondering then if there is a delay because of the P&O issue…
For me, everything seems to be batched up at the moment.
In my imagination it’s because there is less snail mail so at every point it’s waiting for there to be enough to move on. But I sense that it leads to postcards sent a week apart to Germany arriving on the same day.
Worth checking that your postbox is being emptied and that the Postie isn’t on the sick.
Agree with both the comments above. Post has really slowed down in that 8 months you’ve been away, even to Germany. It’s perfectly normal now for postcards to Germany to take 15+ days (though most are a little quicker than that).
Interesting thought about P&O @FairyFoot . It hadn’t occurred to me before, but it’s likely having an impact.
I read the travel pages of the BBC’s teletext. On the ferries part it says that the p&o ferries between Hull and Rotterdam is currently suspended. It also says that both passenger and freight services are effected so i wouldnt be surprised if post to the Netherlands and surrounding countries is very slow. That’s without covid being an factor.
On the Royal Mail Swap-Out Form you can exchange ½p stamps, which means they are legal postage… therefore I guess you can use them on postcards and letters… 
If you have plans to use the scheme I suggest investing in one of those orange sponge thingies (technical term) as you have to print out a form and stick the stamps to the back of it… unless you like the taste of thirty year old glue 
Where did you see this information? I’ve read through the form, web page & T&C’s but can’t for the life of me see anything about ½p stamps!
It’s on the Bulk Stamp Swap Out form (https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2022-03/Stamp-Swap-Out-Form-over-200-pounds-v2.pdf)
I’m hoping to use all my definitives by the deadline (and I’ve got lots). But if I don’t, I guess I can still swap out next January. I haven’t checked. Does anyone know?
I’ve just looked at the form out of curiosity, and am wondering what you actually get back: I have no plans to do this by the way, but I have 100 16p stamps at the moment (ready to top up 1.70 stamps from next week).
If I sent them in, would RM add them up and return some random collection of 1st and 2nd class plus make-up value? Presumably they should match values exactly, this will be quite labour intensive for really mixed orders; in my case I would end up with 100 each of 10p, 5p and 1p stamps - the SPACE that would take up on a card / envelope 
@Florallle yes I too intend to use them all up - though it’s a bit unpredictable if I place more Philatelink orders later in the year… Right now I definitely must not order more stamps from anywhere!
Can’t see a deadline specifically for the form so I guess as long as it reaches them before the general deadline of 31 January 2023 that would be okay.
The FAQ seems to suggest that you will always be able to swap-out stamps… even after the 2023 deadline
This is what the T&C’s says:
“If a non-barcoded stamp you have sent to us is no longer available and is eligible for swap out, the postage value of that stamp will be returned to you in 2nd class stamps (we will round-up the replacement barcoded stamps to the nearest whole number of 2nd class stamps).”
As they haven’t planned a 16p barcoded stamp (yet), I guess you’ll just get 2nd class stamps.
There’ll be the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1.00 barcoded Machins.
No admin fee. Freepost MUST be used for the under £200 - though do use proof of posting/take pictures. Special Delivery highly recommended for the over £200 and will be refunded. For those who live up near Edinburgh - you can visit Tallents House (by prior arrangement). No deadline as far as I can see.
Remind elderly relatives/friends…
This is my also my plan… Have fun, be creative and swap-out the remaining stamps.
Good news that Post and Go stamps are not included, but I have a lot of country definitives which are! Swings and Roundabouts
My cards are looking like this at the moment, using up definitives and topping up with some of those old 9/10p picture stamps which I seem to have quite a lot of! Quite enjoying the randomness of the 9p! 
Thank you, a question of mine has been answered.
A real shame about the Country Definitives 
I’d completely forgotten I’d bought the £1.70 platinum jubilee stamps and have been using E stamps rather than those 
So not only do I regret that and the need to fork out an extra 15p when the E stamps just automatically become £1.85 come Monday, I also regret having used up so many 16p stamps to make up the international economy rate for non-European destinations over the past month or so. Thankfully I still have some 16p stamps (and other low teens that I can top up with penny stamps!).
Next time there’s a price hike, I’ll have to actually think about the combinations I’ll need going forward and ration accordingly! 
I put a bunch of postcards with £1.70-worth of stamps in a postbox this afternoon and then realised that when they get picked up on Monday morning, the international rate will already be £1.85! Oops! Have to hope they’ll give me a day’s grace…!
I sent postcards with the old lower rate for 6 weeks after the sneaky little price rise in September 2020. (Not deliberately, I hasten to add, just as yours isn’t deliberate.) They all arrived at their destinations.
