If you’ve sent a letter lately, you might have noticed the price tag on a stamp feels different than it used to. Both Ireland and the UK have been adjusting their postal rates, and with An Post raising its national stamp to €1.85 on February 3, 2026 — and Royal Mail set to follow with a £1.80 first-class stamp from April 7, 2026 — it’s worth knowing exactly what you’re paying and why. This guide breaks down the current and upcoming costs side by side, so you can post confidently no matter which side of the Irish Sea you’re on.

4 related posts

Ireland 1st Class Letter: €1.85 · UK 1st Class Stamp: £1.80 · Ireland Digital Stamp Current: €2.22 · Ireland Digital Stamp 2026: €2.85 · UK 1st Class Previous: £1.35

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact USPS first-class stamp price for mid-2026 not yet confirmed (AARP Money)
  • Pre-2026 exact Royal Mail 1st class stamp price before April 2026 increase (AARP Money)
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
Service Current / Upcoming Price Effective Date
Ireland 1st Class Letter €1.85 3 February 2026
Ireland Large A4 €3.50+ 3 February 2026
UK 1st Class Current £1.80 7 April 2026
Ireland 2026 Digital €2.85 3 February 2026

How much does a first class stamp cost in Ireland?

An Post’s national stamp — the equivalent of a first-class letter stamp for domestic mail within Ireland — costs €1.85 for letters up to 100g as of 3 February 2026, according to the An Post Guide to Postal Rates. This represents a 20-cent increase from the previous price of €1.65, announced on 12 January 2026.

Standard Post rates

For standard letters within Ireland, the ‘N’ stamp at €1.85 covers items up to 100g with next-day delivery. The An Post national stamp remains valid for letters anywhere in Ireland at this rate. An Post noted that even after the increase, its rates sit approximately 10% below the EU14 + Britain benchmark of €2.04 for a domestic next-day letter, according to the official announcement.

Large envelopes and packets

For larger items, An Post’s Europe stamp (including letters to Britain) costs €3.50 from 3 February 2026 — an increase of 85 cents. The Rest of World stamp is priced at €3.95, per the official rates guide. These increases come as An Post cited a 38% drop in international letter volumes over the past three years as a key driver behind the rate adjustments.

Bottom line: Ireland’s national stamp is now €1.85 for standard letters, with large envelopes and international destinations costing significantly more. Existing N and W stamps remain valid after 3 February 2026, so older stock can still be used.

How much is the UK 1st class stamp?

Royal Mail’s first-class letter stamp costs £1.80 for items up to 100g as of 7 April 2026, according to My Mailing Room, which tracks official Royal Mail pricing. This follows a previous rate of £1.35, representing a 45p increase.

Recent price increase

Royal Mail implemented its latest price change on 7 April 2026. The first-class large letter (up to 100g) now costs £3.30, while a 250g large letter is priced at £3.60. The fuel and energy surcharge also increased from 11% to 16% from 3 May 2026, as noted on the Royal Mail prices page.

Comparison to previous

The jump from £1.35 to £1.80 means UK first-class stamp prices have risen by roughly 33% in this cycle. When comparing across the Irish Sea, the An Post national stamp at €1.85 and Royal Mail’s £1.80 are now roughly equivalent in purchasing-power terms — though the UK price historically held a slight edge before this adjustment.

Bottom line: Royal Mail’s first-class stamp now costs £1.80, a significant jump from £1.35. Large letters and parcels face even steeper increases, and the fuel surcharge adds another layer of cost for heavier shipments.

How much are 2nd class stamps?

While this article focuses on first-class pricing, second-class options exist in both countries for less urgent mail. UK second-class stamps are currently priced at 85p, offering a cheaper alternative for letters that don’t require next-day delivery.

Ireland 2nd class

An Post does not currently publish a separate second-class stamp for domestic Ireland letters in the same way Royal Mail does. The national stamp at €1.85 covers standard next-day domestic delivery. For Ireland-specific second-class pricing details, customers should check directly with An Post’s postal rates page.

UK 2nd class

Royal Mail’s second-class stamp at 85p provides a budget option for letters up to 100g, though delivery typically takes 2-3 working days. This lower price point makes it attractive for birthday cards, bills, and other non-urgent correspondence.

Bottom line: The UK offers a clear second-class option at 85p, while Ireland’s domestic service is structured around its single-rate national stamp system. If saving on postage matters, second class in the UK is notably cheaper than first class.

Are postage stamps going up in 2026?

Yes — both An Post and Royal Mail have implemented or are set to implement price increases in 2026. An Post’s digital stamp will rise from €2.22 to €2.85 from 3 February 2026, according to the official rates guide, while Royal Mail’s first-class stamp moved to £1.80 on 7 April 2026.

Ireland increases

An Post announced its increases on 12 January 2026, with new rates taking effect just weeks later on 3 February. The national stamp rose by 20 cents, the Europe stamp by 85 cents, and the Rest of World stamp also increased. The increases are framed as necessary to safeguard the Universal Service Obligation (USO) amid falling letter volumes and rising operational costs.

UK adjustments

Royal Mail’s April 2026 changes affect both stamps and surcharges. The fuel and energy surcharge increases from 11% to 16% from 3 May 2026, as documented on the Royal Mail prices page. This surcharge applies to parcels and heavier items, adding to the base postage cost.

Bottom line: 2026 is a year of notable postage increases on both sides of the Irish Sea. Ireland’s changes are already in effect, while the UK’s April adjustment means senders should budget for higher costs going forward.

How much is a book of stamps in Ireland?

An Post sells stamps in booklets, with a standard booklet of 10 national stamps costing €18.50 (€1.85 each) from February 2026, as listed in the official rates guide. This bulk pricing option offers the same per-stamp rate as individual purchases.

Bulk pricing

The €18.50 booklet price means regular senders can stock up at the current rate before any future increases. For those who send multiple letters per week, buying in bulk avoids individual purchase trips and ensures you have stamps on hand for the effective date changes.

International options

For stamps to England specifically, An Post’s Europe stamp at €3.50 covers letters up to 100g to Britain. The 1kg prepaid bag to UK, France, and Germany costs €8.00 from February 2026, according to the official guide. This makes the €3.50 Europe stamp the relevant option for standard letters across the Irish Sea.

Bottom line: A booklet of 10 Irish stamps costs €18.50. For sending letters to England, the €3.50 Europe stamp is the relevant option.

2026 Timeline: Key Dates for Postage Changes

Five dates matter most for anyone tracking postage costs in 2026:

Date Event Source
12 January 2026 An Post announced stamp increases An Post Media Centre
3 April 2026 An Post new rates take effect An Post Guide
7 April 2026 Royal Mail price changes apply My Mailing Room
3 May 2026 Royal Mail fuel surcharge rises to 16% Royal Mail
Mid-2026 USPS planned first-class stamp increase AARP
Bottom line: The busiest postage-change period runs from January through May 2026. If you regularly send mail, the February and April changes in Ireland and the UK respectively are the dates to note.

Confirmed vs. Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Ireland national stamp: €1.85 from 3 February 2026
  • UK first-class stamp: £1.80 from 7 April 2026
  • Ireland digital stamp: €2.22 current, rising to €2.85
  • Existing N and W stamps remain valid after changes
  • An Post Europe stamp: €3.50 from 3 February 2026

What’s unclear

  • Exact USPS first-class stamp price for mid-2026 increase
  • Pre-April 2026 exact Royal Mail first-class price before the £1.80 change
  • Future An Post pricing beyond 2026
  • Royal Mail full official stamp price PDF details

“The national stamp will increase by 20c from €1.65 to €1.85 on Tuesday 3rd February 2026 for personal customers in line with global trends.”

— An Post Official Statement (An Post Media Centre)

“Forever stamp prices are expected to go up — again.”

— AARP (AARP Money)

Why this matters

Ireland’s €1.85 national stamp sits roughly 10% below the EU14 + Britain benchmark of €2.04 for domestic next-day letters. That positioning gives An Post room to argue its increases are measured, even as senders feel the pinch on the ground.

The catch

USPS First-Class Mail rates did not change on 18 January 2026, according to SavePostage, but a further increase is expected mid-2026 — the amount has not yet been disclosed. For anyone mailing between the US and Ireland or UK, planning around this uncertainty requires flexibility in budget.

Related reading: National Living Wage 2025: UK & Ireland Rates Explained · Highest Interest Savings Accounts: Ireland and UK Comparison

Additional sources

royalmail.com, faq.usps.com, postoffice.co.uk

UK Royal Mail first-class stamps hit £1.80 from 2026, while the second-class stamp cost rises to 91p for standard letters in April.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is an international stamp in Ireland?

An Post’s Europe stamp costs €3.50 from 3 February 2026, covering letters up to 100g to anywhere in Europe including Britain. For the Rest of World, the stamp is priced at €3.95. Both rates are confirmed in the official rates guide.

What is the cost of a stamp to UK from Ireland?

Sending a letter from Ireland to England costs €3.50 using An Post’s Europe stamp (up to 100g) as of 3 February 2026. This is the same rate that applies for letters to anywhere in Europe, including Britain.

What are An Post postage rates?

An Post’s current domestic national stamp costs €1.85 from 3 February 2026. The digital stamp is €2.22 currently, rising to €2.85. International rates include Europe at €3.50 and Rest of World at €3.95. Full rates are available on An Post’s postal rates page.

How much is a book of stamps in Ireland?

A booklet of 10 An Post national stamps costs €18.50 from February 2026, working out to €1.85 per stamp. This bulk pricing offers no discount per unit but provides convenience for regular senders.

What does a 1st class stamp cost?

It depends on where you’re posting from. In Ireland, a first-class equivalent (national stamp) costs €1.85 as of 3 February 2026. In the UK, a first-class stamp costs £1.80 from 7 April 2026. In the US, the Forever stamp sits at 78 cents as of July 2025, with another increase expected mid-2026.

For regular senders in either Ireland or the UK, the choice between first and second class — or whether to buy in bulk — comes down to urgency versus budget. The February and April 2026 increases mean both postal services are asking customers to pay more, but the structure of those increases differs: Ireland’s national stamp targets standard letters, while the UK’s changes hit larger envelopes and parcels particularly hard. The implication is straightforward: if you send mail weekly, locking in current stock before your next price cycle starts makes financial sense.