On: Why are so many people being hit with £5 fines for...

[NeoTar]

The prices have been increasing above inflation for years, but especially in the last few years - e.g. in 2001 a first class stamp cost 0.27 GBP (0.49 in 2024), and even in 2019 in was 0.70 GBP (0.86 in 2024).

[lb1lf → NeoTar]

In fairness, though, mail volume must have plummeted as email and electronic invoicing became a thing.

My receiving a letter by actual mail now usually means I have forgotten to set up e-invoicing for a service I subscribe to.

Yet, most of the infrastructure required to handle the (vastly reduced) volume of mail remains.

(I would be surprised if an increasing amount of packages being shipped due to online shopping offsets the reduction in letters mailed)

[M2Ys4U → lb1lf]

Royal Mail was also privatised in 2013, which goes a long way to explaining the price hike.