BBC Morning Live finance expert Laura Pomfret said people could make a big mistake when they order a new passport

A BBC expert has explained how people are making a big mistake when they order a new passport - after 2026 price rises. On BBC Morning Live finance expert Laura Pomfret explained that people can save a lot of money - especially as they’ve gone up.

She explained that families renewing their passports all at once can face a big payout - and they’ve gone beyond £100 for the first time this year. However there is a way to get the cost down further. And she explained how people might be targeted by sites to help them fill in the forms - but it would be throwing £100 away.

She said: “It is becoming a bigger and bigger expense to, you know, get a passport for you, for your loved ones, for your family. And fees have just gone up. It is now over £100 to get a passport, but there are ways of avoiding paying more than you need. So firstly, these are the prices we’re looking at right now. A standard online adult passport is £102. Standard online child passport is £66.50.”

And Ms Pomfret explained that people using the traditional method of filling out the forms and posting them are facing even bigger fees. She said: “If you apply for these by post, it jumps, for example, for an adult to £115.50. That’s a big jump, especially if you need more than one passport in the family.

“So the first big saving is do it online, don’t do it by post because that’s £15 per passport. That’s an awful lot of money, and if you’re a bit unsure about online, which not everyone is, especially with something traditional and formal like a passport. You could ask a friend, a trusted friend, to do it with you online.”

One of the biggest mistakes people make could cost them £100 on top of getting a passport, she said, and that’s by using sites which help you fill in the form. She said: “Always go directly to the HM Passport Office. There are these intermediary websites. That might look official to help you fill out the application, but it’s not the HM Passport Office.

“It’s an intermediary, and you could pay up to £100 just for essentially helping with the passport. So, make sure when you’re doing it online, you’re going directly to the passport office, and as I said, I’ve advised you to do it yourself online. It takes about 10 minutes, literally, but if you’re a bit unsure, you can use the post office check and send service.

“You’re paying £16 for this, but actually to get it done properly, it may be worth you deciding to to use that service.” Paying a shop to take your photos is another way of ramping up the cost unnecessarily, BBC Morning Live viewers were told. Ms Pomfret said: “If you’ve not renewed your pass for a while. You may not know that you can take your photos yourself. You don’t have to pay to go into a shop.

“You don’t have to go to one of the passport booths. You need good lighting, plain background. You upload it directly in. It tells you if it’s not any good and you have to do it again. So all in all, I think it’s worth having a look at if you need to get a new passport, have a look at these different ways of saving money because it’s worth it in the in the long run, especially if you’re getting more than one.”

As of March 2026, the standard online fee for a new or renewed adult (16+) 34-page UK passport is £102. This applies to applications made through the official GOV.UK passport service. A paper application form, which can be picked up at a Post Office, costs £115.50.

Key Pricing & Information (Post-March 2026 Increase):

• Standard Online (34-page): £102
• Paper Application (34-page): £115.50
• Frequent Traveller (54-page) Online: £116
• Post Office Check & Send Service: Adds an extra £16, according to the Post Office.
• Processing Time: Standard online applications typically take up to 10 weeks.

It is highly recommended to use the official GOV.UK site for the lowest price and fastest processing.