The cost of posting a letter will be going up from the start of next year – just nine months after Jersey Post last increased its postal tariffs.

The increases mean that the cost of sending a ‘Rest of World’ letter at the start of next year will be almost double the price it was at the same time this year.

‘Rest of World’ letters, which apply to anywhere further than Europe, cost £1.30 for the first quarter of 2022, before rising to £1.75 in April. From January, they’ll be rising by another 80 pence to £2.55

Jersey Post’s latest stamp price increases are effective from Sunday, 1 January 2023. They follow a previous rise in postal tariffs on 1 April 2022.

From January, Islanders who send letters to Europe will have to pay £1.85 for a stamp – a rise of 65 pence, from £1.20.

Meanwhile, the New Year increases will also see the cost of posting local letters rise by four pence, from 56p to 60p, while letters to the UK, Isle of Man and other Channel Islands will rise by 16 pence, from 82p to 98p.

Jersey Post blames the rises on increased operating costs and a decline in outbound mail.

In a statement on Jersey Post’s website, Niall McClure, Managing Director, Postal and Logistics, said: “Due to the current economic climate, the postal sector as a whole is experiencing a number of challenges.

“One significant challenge for us in Jersey is the high cost of the mail plane. Using the plane allows for next-day delivery for certain postal products to and from the UK. However, to operate the mail plane costs approximately £1.23 per item in conveyance charges.

“Historically, we have subsidised the cost of sending mail by air. Where we can, we have tried to minimise the costs next year to the end customer. For one of our most popular routes, the 100g letter to the UK, we are absorbing some of the cost by only charging 98p. In addition, we have held the local 2023 price changes in line with June’s RPI which was 7.9%. The latest RPI figure as of September is 10.4%.”

In a statement on its website, Jersey Post says it has seen a 13% decline in outbound mail volume so far this year, which is steeper than predicted, and this downward trend is forecast to increase in 2023. It adds that while outbound mail declines, Jersey Post’s operating costs remain high and that, from 1 January, the postal charges levied on Jersey Post by Royal Mail and other postal authorities will increase substantially.

Last month, Jersey Post defended its decision not to make this year’s reduced-price Christmas stamps available to use during the month of December for the first time, after a number of Islanders contacted us to complain. Islanders have also contacted us this month about the increased costs of sending Christmas parcels to the UK and further afield.