The increase would see a book of 12 second class stamps increase from £4.32 to £6.60 over night, as Royal Mail could push through the increase in one go. The price of stamps would then increase every year by inflation, under the proposals.

Books of first and second class stamps no longer detail the prices of the stamps, which would allow them to be used after the expected price rise.

A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Royal Mail provides a very important service for people and it is important that it remains affordable. Certainly the service needs to be sustainable, hence why decisions need to be made about pricing.”

The take-up of mail services has been badly dented by the expansion of email, broadband internet and the widespread use of mobile phones over the past decade.

A Royal Mail spokesman said last night: “Stockpiling is an activity usually conducted by consumers if they expect a product to be in short supply or if any prospective price increases significantly impacts on its affordability. It is simply not the case that either situation applies to stamps.

“The UK has one of the most comprehensive and high quality postal services in the world. That service is offered for amongst the most competitive prices in Europe – the UK already has amongst the lowest average 2nd Class prices in the EU.

“As successive research studies have conclusively shown, there are no affordability issues with postal prices. The average household spend on post is modest at £21 a year and 20 times less than spend on telephone services, electric and gas.”

Last November, Royal Mail reported a surprise jump in bottom-line profits to £176million in the six months to 25 September, which included a £146million one-off profits from the sale of properties. The UK letters, parcels and international business lost £41million after modernisation costs.

Royal Mail said at the time: “Were it not for profits from its GLS parcels business – £58 million – and the Post Office Limited – £55 million – the group overall would have made a loss”.

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