A CHARITY which trades on the website eBay has raised concerns over sharp rises in the cost of sending post through the Royal Mail.

A first-class stamp will go up in price from 46p to 60p and a second-class stamp will rise from 36p to 50p from April 30, after regulator Ofcom lifted some price controls.

The cost of franked and bulk mail for businesses will also increase from the same date, but the exact amount depends on the weight and amount of what is sent.

Royal Mail said prices needed to be increased to ensure the future of the UK’s universal, six-day-a-week postal service as people switched to using text messages, emails, and online messaging.

However, the move will hit those who trade online, including Swindon Children’s Scrapstore, a registered environmental charity and creative reuse centre which provides reusable materials to local communities for creative purposes.

The charity, based at Westmead Industrial Estate, supports some of its activities by selling some items on eBay, which are then posted to customers.

Dave Wood, chairman of the trustees, said: “Quite a high proportion of our income is from remote selling on eBay so that’s going to have quite a big impact, particularly for a charity in quite cash-strapped times.

“So the price rise is going to have a big impact one way or another because eBay is quite a large part of our sales.

“We are still assessing as to whether we put the costs up or whether we absorb the costs. I think, either way, we will be hit. If we put the costs up, fewer people will buy it because the costs have gone up.”

Mr Wood echoed the concerns of pensioners and businesses that the sharp increase would encourage people to communicate less by post and more online.

Following the announcement of the price hike on Tuesday, Post Offices across Swindon have seen people bulk-buying books of stamps.

Graham Clarke, the sub-postmaster at Ashton Keynes Post Office, said: “Whether it’s [the increase is] going to affect us or not I don’t know, but certainly it’s increased the sales of stamps over the last couple of days.

“We have seen a substantial increase with people stocking up.

“And let’s face it, it’s worth doing this time – it’s not pence we’re talking about. Certainly this time it’s certainly worth stocking up.

“We’re suggesting to our customers now that they’ll make substantial savings now if they pre-buy stamps.”