Newspaper Rates 1870-1968
From 1870 each copy of a periodical registered as a newspaper with the Post Office (according to the regulations in force at the time) could be sent at a special rate (initially this was regardless of weight).
Whether it was cheaper to send packets containing multiple newspapers as regular printed papers or not varied according to their weight and the rates in force over the years.
The concession continued in modified form after the introduction of two-tier post on 16th September 1968. From that date, a registered newspaper sent by its printer or publisher (or their agents) in a special posting and paid at the appropriate second-class rate for its weight was treated as first-class mail. Newspapers posted under any other circumstances were treated as letters and paid the first-class or second-class rate for their weight.
Date | Rates | Date | Rates | Date | Rates | Date | Rates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1870 (1 Oct) |
½d each Weight immaterial |
1915 (1 Nov) |
½d – 6oz 1d – 12oz 1½d – 1lb 2oz 2d – 1lb 8oz 2½d – 1lb 14oz 3d – 2lb Maximum weight 2lb |
1920 (1 Sep) |
1d – 6oz 1½d – 12oz 2d – 1lb 2oz 2½d – 1lb 8oz 3d – 1lb 14oz 3½d – 2lb |
1940 (1 Jul) |
1½d – 4oz 2d – 8oz 2½d – 12oz 3d – 1lb 3½d – 1lb 4oz 4d – 1lb 8oz 4½d – 1lb 12oz 5d – 2lb |
1956 (1 Jun) |
2d – 6oz 3d – 12oz 4d – 1lb 2oz 5d – 1lb 8oz 6d – 1lb 14oz 7d – 2lb |
1957 (1 Oct) |
2½d – 6oz 4d – 12oz 5½d – 1lb 2oz 7d – 1lb 8oz 8½d – 1lb 14oz 10d – 2lb |
1961 (1 Oct) |
3d – 6oz 4½d – 12oz 6d – 1lb 2oz 7½d – 1lb 8oz 9d – 1lb 14oz 10½d – 2lb |
1968 (16 Sep) |
See letter rates |