In this section: Your bills
Government fees and charges
Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.
Most government fees are meant to recover the cost of a service, some are set below it, and a few are set above it on purpose. 19 of the fees on these pages are higher than a year ago. An adult passport is £102 online, probate is £526, and immigration fees brought in more than three times the cost of processing in 2025-26, as the law allows.
Figure as of 22 September 2026. Source: HM Passport Office (Home Office), HM Courts & Tribunals Service (Ministry of Justice).
Key figures
- 19 of 39Fees on these pages higher than a year ago Checked 22 September 2026
- £102An adult passport, online up on a year earlier: +£8 (+7.9%) vs 29 September 2025
- £526A probate application up on a year earlier: +£226 (+75.3%) vs 29 September 2025
- 335%Immigration fee income as a share of processing cost 100% would mean fees exactly cover cost
- £100Biggest rise: Companies House incorporation - online/digital up on a year earlier: +£50 (+100.0%) vs 29 September 2025
Sources: HM Passport Office (Home Office), HM Courts & Tribunals Service (Ministry of Justice), Companies House (also funds Insolvency Service ECCTA enforcement).
Which fees rose most on a year ago?
| Fee | Now | A year ago | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Companies House incorporation - online/digitalDetails for Companies House incorporation - online/digital | £100 | £50 | +£50 (+100.0%) |
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Probate application fee, estate over £5,000 (England & Wales)Details for Probate application fee, estate over £5,000 (England & Wales) | £526 | £300 | +£226 (+75.3%) |
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Companies House annual confirmation statement - onlineDetails for Companies House annual confirmation statement - online | £50 | £34 | +£16 (+47.1%) |
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Child (under 16) passport, UK online applicationDetails for Child (under 16) passport, UK online application | £66.50 | £61.50 | +£5.00 (+8.1%) |
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Child (under 16) passport, UK paper (postal) applicationDetails for Child (under 16) passport, UK paper (postal) application | £80 | £74 | +£6 (+8.1%) |
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Adult passport, standard 34-page, UK paper (postal) applicationDetails for Adult passport, standard 34-page, UK paper (postal) application | £115.50 | £107 | +£8.50 (+7.9%) |
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Adult passport, standard 34-page, UK online applicationDetails for Adult passport, standard 34-page, UK online application | £102 | £94.50 | +£8 (+7.9%) |
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Skilled Worker visa, over 3 years, applying from outside the UKDetails for Skilled Worker visa, over 3 years, applying from outside the UK | £1,618 | £1,519 | +£99 (+6.5%) |
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Indefinite leave to remain (settlement)Details for Indefinite leave to remain (settlement) | £3,226 | £3,029 | +£197 (+6.5%) |
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Skilled Worker visa, up to 3 years, applying from outside the UKDetails for Skilled Worker visa, up to 3 years, applying from outside the UK | £819 | £769 | +£50 (+6.5%) |
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Family visa (Route to Settlement, e.g. spouse or partner) - applying from outside the UKDetails for Family visa (Route to Settlement, e.g. spouse or partner) - applying from outside the UK | £2,064 | £1,938 | +£126 (+6.5%) |
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British citizenship by naturalisation (application fee; £130 ceremony fee on top)Details for British citizenship by naturalisation (application fee; £130 ceremony fee on top) | £1,709 | £1,605 | +£104 (+6.5%) |
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Checked 22 September 2026. Source: HM Passport Office (Home Office). Checked by hand 22 September 2026.
Are fees set above cost or below it?
The default rule for government fees, in the Treasury's Managing Public Money, is that a fee should recover the full cost of the service and no more. Parliament has made exceptions in both directions: some fees may be set above cost by law, including court fees, immigration fees and personalised number plates, and some are kept below cost as a policy choice.
100% means fees exactly cover cost. Above 100% is a surplus, below it a subsidy from general taxation.
The numbers behind this chart
| Year | Share of cost recovered |
|---|---|
| HM Passport Office | 77% |
| Visas and immigration (UKVI) | 335% |
| DBS | 113% |
| General Register Office (certificates) | 37% |
| DVLA | 94% |
| HM Land Registry | 105% |
| Courts and tribunals (HMCTS) | 69% |
| Companies House | 103% |
Figure as of 22 September 2026. Source: HM Passport Office (Home Office).
| Body | Year | Fee income | Cost | Surplus or deficit | Share of cost recovered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HM Passport OfficeDetails for HM Passport Office | 2025–26 | £684m | £886m | £-202m | 77% |
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HM Passport OfficeDetails for HM Passport Office | 2024–25 | £668m | £924m | £-257m | 72% |
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Visas and immigration (UKVI)Details for Visas and immigration (UKVI) | 2025–26 | £3.6bn | £1.1bn | £2.5bn | 335% |
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DBSDetails for DBS | 2025–26 | £272m | £240m | £31.6m | 113% |
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General Register Office (certificates)Details for General Register Office (certificates) | 2025–26 | £29.4m | £78.6m | £-49.2m | 37% |
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DVLADetails for DVLA | 2025–26 | £351m | £374m | £-23.4m | 94% |
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DVLADetails for DVLA | 2024–25 | £342m | £351m | £-9.3m | 97% |
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HM Land RegistryDetails for HM Land Registry | 2025–26 | £501m | £478m | £23.3m | 105% |
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HM Land RegistryDetails for HM Land Registry | 2024–25 | £400m | £441m | £-41.1m | 91% |
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Courts and tribunals (HMCTS)Details for Courts and tribunals (HMCTS) | 2024–25 | £830m | £1.2bn | £-374m | 69% |
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Companies HouseDetails for Companies House | 2025–26 | £239m | £232m | £7.1m | 103% |
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Where are the details for each group of fees?
- Passports, driving licences and the MOTAdult passport £102 online.
- NHS prescription, dental and optical chargesPrescription £9.90 in England, free elsewhere in the UK.
- Probate, court, Land Registry and planning feesProbate £526.
- Certificates, DBS checks and Companies HouseBirth certificate £12.50.
- Visa fees and the Immigration Health SurchargeSettlement £3,226.
- Student loan repayments9% above the threshold, and whether it is a graduate tax.
- The TV licence£180 a year.
Should services be paid for by fees or taxes?
The case for fees
- People who use a service pay for it, rather than everyone.
- A price signals what a service costs to provide.
- Fees for optional services keep them off general taxation.
The case against
- Many "optional" services, like a death certificate or probate, cannot be avoided.
- Fees set above cost are a tax in all but name.
- Flat fees take a bigger share of low incomes.
Common questions
- Can the government charge more than a service costs?
- Only where Parliament allows it. Court fees (Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, s180), immigration fees (Immigration Act 2014, s68) and personalised number plates are examples. The default rule is full cost recovery.
Sources for this page
| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK Passport fees; GOV.UK news 'New fees for passport applications'; EM to SI 2026/311 | HM Passport Office (Home Office) | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
| GOV.UK Applying for probate: fees; SI 2026/642; SI 2026/665; SI 2024/476 | HM Courts & Tribunals Service (Ministry of Justice) | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
| GOV.UK Companies House fees (updated 2 July 2026); EM to SI 2025/1137 | Companies House (also funds Insolvency Service ECCTA enforcement) | 22 September 2026 | annual | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under CC BY 4.0.