UK passport price rises for second time in just 14 months

The cost of a UK passport has risen for the second time in just over 14 months. The new price came into effect on Thursday (April 11) and has seen the price for online applications soar once more.

The new prices, which applies for both new or renewed adult passport, has increased from £82.50 to £88.50. That is a 7 per cent hike which follows a steep 9 per cent rise in February 2023, reports Bristol Live.

The rise has been met with dismay by consumer group Which? who say that travellers due to renew would "likely be shocked" by the sudden increase. The Home Office has defended the price surge, maintaining that it operates on a non-profit basis and that the additional funds will be used to enhance services.

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The online application fee for a child's passport has also seen a rise, increasing from £53.50 to £57.50. Postal applications have experienced a bump in price too, with adult passports going from £93 to £100 and child passports from £64 to £69.

Applying from overseas or for urgent passport needs incurs higher costs. However, passports remain free for individuals born on or before September 2, 1929. Prior to the hike last year, the fee for passports had remained unchanged for five years, with a standard adult online application priced at £75.50.

Which?'s Guy Hobbs said: "The cost of renewing a passport has jumped significantly in the last few years, with this latest price hike following hot on the heels of a hefty 9 per cent rise just last year. While these price rises may well reflect rising production or processing costs, the UK passport is now amongst the priciest in Europe."

Indeed, Britons are coughing up some of the highest fees in Europe for their travel documents, with an £88.50 UK passport being outpriced only by those from Switzerland (£122), Denmark (£103), and Italy (£99.50). In comparison, our American counterparts pay £103 for their passports.

Consumer rights champion Martyn James is opposed to the rise. He said: "Just because a business or organisation can raise prices doesn't mean they should. The starting point with any price increase - and this is 16 percentage points over 14 months - should be what are you doing to make the service better."

Post-pandemic woes continue to affect British travellers heavily, with a large number of passport processing delays wreaking havoc and ruining holiday plans. According to the National Audit Office, an alarming 360,000 individuals were kept waiting for more than 10 weeks to receive their passports during the first nine months of 2022.

Mr James saud this was wrong. He said: "The Passport Office has struggled with meeting its basic obligations, so many users will question what they are getting for their money."

The Home Office has been quick to justify the high passport fees amidst public discontent. It says the increased charges are intended to fund the cost of issuing passports and reduce reliance on taxpayer contributions.