The cost of a passport is just stupid

[SoloTripSoloVibes]

That’s it really.

£94.50 for the actual passport, which is alright, I suppose.

£10 for the pictures because you need the fancy digital codes now and can’t just have a picture

£10 for guaranteed postage of the old one back to them, because of course they can’t just have a database that they update to say that one has expired or been replaced.

£115 in total! Bring on the days that it becomes totally digital.

Exactly this. Next time do it online. It checks everything and will tell you if the picture is ok. Ans for renewals it’s super quick especially if nothing major has changed since your last renewal eg. Married/ divorced (name change)

Passports aren’t compulsory.

If you don’t like the cost, don’t get one 🤷‍♀️

Personally I think it’s well worth it

Exactly, you do have another option. Don’t pay for a passport and never leave the UK.

Or they could be made cheaper

Cheaper than a tenner a year?

Your passport fee also contributes to Consular services being available to you if you need support while abroad. I think it's right that those who travel should pay towards that rather than people who don't hold passports.

If you only want it as id then it's expensive.

Oh please stop complaining. Do you want it for free? It will last you a decade!

I did my application online and uploaded a picture I'd taken on my phone. The postage was £3-4 not £10.

I don’t think it is. They might look like they are just a little book, but they have sophisticated technology in them. To give a price comparison, it’s about the same cost as 2 weeks’ petrol for me to get to work. They last 10 years, so cost about £10 a year or less than £1 a month.

You can take your own photo - it tells you if the photo is good enough. Just the lighting is a bit of a faf to get right.
I’ve never knowingly paid to have the old passport returned, its just turned up sometimes before the new one.

It’s not just a bit of paper - there is a lot of tech in there. We've just had to do companies house ID with a smart phone app, you put your phone on top of the closed passport and it reads something or other so there must be a chip or similar in the cover. (Can you tell I'm a technophobe?! - if I can do the application online anyone can)
It’s absolutely right that you pay for a passport, the poor old taxpayer can’t take much more!

For many ID purpose, including voting, you can use a provisional driving licence. It costs £34 to apply for one online.

It’s not a notebook from WHSmiths that they’ve stuck your photo in. The security checks that are needed, the anti forgery technology plus the size of the operation is huge. As others have said £94.50 for ten years is not bad.

From Jan 25 an Australian passport will cost $596. I think £94.50 is very reasonable actually.

But it’s not a tenner a year, is it? It’s £115 up front. You can’t pay it on a yearly basis

OP, your passport is one of the most valuable things you will ever own, it's not "just a book"!
I think £10 a year to travel the world (& have the protection of the British Embassy if you have problems abroad) is an absolute bargain.

Less than £100 for 10 years freedom to travel. Utter bargain!

My 13 year old daughter took my photo for my last passport renewal. I just stood against a white door. I applied online and the photo was accepted first time.

It is a legal document so you can travel, yes it is expensive but how much do you think it should be?

It’s only £115 if you choose to pay for extras that aren’t needed, I’m tight so I don’t.

It’s a book. You have to pay for visas for most places these days. You’re not able to fast track through passport control anymore.

Photos and postage are actually required.

It's not unless you pay for what's basically premium services.

But it's not an unforseen expenditure, and it's also not an expenditure that cannot be delayed until funds become available if you are brassic when it's due for renewal.