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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Cost of British passport to increase | Cost of British passport to increase |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The cost of a child's passport is increasing by 27% for applications made by post. | The cost of a child's passport is increasing by 27% for applications made by post. |
| From 27 March, it will go up from £46 to £58.50 for anyone under the age of 16. | |
| For adults who make postal applications a passport will cost £85, up from £72.50 - a 17% rise. | For adults who make postal applications a passport will cost £85, up from £72.50 - a 17% rise. |
| The cost of online applications is also increasing, but by significantly less. They will go up by £3 to £49 and £75.50 for children and adults, respectively. | The cost of online applications is also increasing, but by significantly less. They will go up by £3 to £49 and £75.50 for children and adults, respectively. |
| All the rises, for a standard passport service, are greater than the current 3% rate of inflation. | All the rises, for a standard passport service, are greater than the current 3% rate of inflation. |
| It will be the first time ordering a passport by post will cost more than doing so online. | |
| Despite the price hike, the government maintains it will still cost less than it would have nine years ago due to fees being reduced in 2012. | |
| While the changes are subject to parliamentary approval, the increases mean a family of four - two adults and two children - who apply by post will need to spend £287. | While the changes are subject to parliamentary approval, the increases mean a family of four - two adults and two children - who apply by post will need to spend £287. |
| Prices for adult passports on the fast-track service will rise from £103 to £142, and from £128 to £177 under the premium service. | Prices for adult passports on the fast-track service will rise from £103 to £142, and from £128 to £177 under the premium service. |
| The Home Office said: "These reforms are part of plans by the Home Office to invest £100m on border security and infrastructure next year." | The Home Office said: "These reforms are part of plans by the Home Office to invest £100m on border security and infrastructure next year." |
| It aims to "create a self-sustainable immigration and borders system". | It aims to "create a self-sustainable immigration and borders system". |
| Postal vs online costs | Postal vs online costs |
| The Home Office justified the higher postal charges, saying they reflected the "increased costs of processing postal applications compared to online applications". | The Home Office justified the higher postal charges, saying they reflected the "increased costs of processing postal applications compared to online applications". |
| It said the reforms would shift the financial burden of providing passports on to users of the service instead of taxpayers - "millions of whom do not currently hold passports". | It said the reforms would shift the financial burden of providing passports on to users of the service instead of taxpayers - "millions of whom do not currently hold passports". |
| It added that the proposals are unrelated to the reintroduction of blue passports, which will not create an extra cost. | |
| The proposed increased fees could mean the government makes an extra £50m in the next financial year. |