Martin Lewis’s MSE urges Brits to act ahead of passport price hikes | Personal Finance | Finance
Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website has urged Brits to check their passports now ahead of price hikes. Application fees will rise by a maximum of £14.50 by Thursday, April 11, adding to the soaring household bills and taxes this month.
Money Saving Expert strongly advised people who need a renewal to do so “as soon as possible” through the online service. It explained: “Avoid doing so by post, as your application may arrive after the cut-off date (and it costs more anyway).” Martin Lewis’ website confirmed: “The Home Office told us that ‘all applications received before this date will pay the current fee’. So check NOW to see if your passport is more than 10 years old or in its last six months. If so, apply for renewal as soon as possible to avoid the price rise.”
It’s the third year in a row that passport application prices have increased, following a 9 percent rise in February 2023 and a 7 percent increase in 2024.
A standard online application for an adult passport will rise by £6, from £88.50 to £94.50.
A child’s application will increase by £4, from £57.50 to £61.50.
An adult fast-track service will rise by £11.50 to £178 from £166.50, while the same service for a child will rise by £9.50 to £145.
The adult ‘premium’ passport service, which aims to turn around passports within the day, will have the highest increase, from £207.50 to £222.
British citizens travelling to the EU will need a passport that is less than 10 years old on the day of travel, and valid for at least three months after the planned exit date.
Those who renewed their burgundy passport early could unknowingly have a passport that is older than 10 years, because the extra months may have been added to the new passport’s validity, meaning it is still in date but past the limit.
