British passport applications fees will rise from February

Applying for a new British passport will cost more for everyone from next month.

The Government is bringing in inflated fees for all applications on February 2, for all those newly applying or renewing their passport.

The fee for a standard online application made in the UK will rise from £75.50 to £82.50 for adults and £49 to £53.50 for children.

Postal applications will increase from £85 to £93 for adults and £58.50 to £64 for children.

The Home Office says, the extra money will go towards improving its services including the cost of processing passports, including those that were lost or stolen and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.

The Government’s web page announcing the proposals says: “This will help Home Office move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.

"The Government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications."

“The fees will also contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports."

It is the first time in five years the cost of applying for a passport has increased and the proposals are subject to parliamentary scrutiny, the Home Office confirmed.

In 2022 some families faced heartbreak as their passport applications were delayed, preventing them from travelling.

HM Passport Office (HMPO) processed a "record number" of applications last year, as demand soared due to the lifting of coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions.  Around 360,000 people faced delays as the office struggled to keep up with the "unprecedented" numbers.

Back in April, Parliament heard of one woman who waited more than five months to receive her daughter’s new passport, with services branded “either really very good or an absolute shambles”.

HMPO prepared for 9.5 million applications in 2022 - 36% more than a normal year - based on the missing number of applications from the previous two years.

Between January to September, more than seven million people applied and the passport office processed 6.9 million applications - an increase of 21% compared with the same period in 2019.

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