Don't get your passport by post – 360,000 paid more than needed last year
If your passport is due for renewal, apply online if you can – it'll save you £12.50. More than 7 million Brits did just that last year – but over 360,000 missed out on savings by using a paper form instead, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal.
Those applying online collectively saved an estimated £83 million last year – though of course this isn't an option for those excluded from, or who struggle to use, digital services.
Most applications are made online – but 100,000s still apply by post
We submitted a Freedom of Information request asking the Passport Office how many online and paper form passport applications were made in 2024. It told us the following:
Application type | 📝 Paper form | 💻 Online form |
|---|---|---|
Submitted directly to Passport Office | 221,663 | 7,020,102 |
Made using Post Office 'Check & Send' service | 143,268 | 431,385 |
Total | 364,792 | 7,451,487 |
Figures include adult and child passports, as well as applications for a change of name, gender, photo or nationality, which the Passport Office doesn't break down by age.
Last year, our research revealed that 850,000 of 7.9 million passport applications submitted in 2023 were done via paper. In comparison, this figure has more than halved to just over 360,000 paper applications in 2024.
Petar Lekarski, assistant news and investigations editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "I had to renew my passport earlier this year and was dreading the faff, but was pleasantly surprised by how quick and easy the online process was.
"I'm clearly not alone – our research shows more and more people are choosing the online route over a paper form, collectively saving millions in the process.
"If you can do so, or if you can get someone to help you, applying for your passport directly through Gov.uk is the way to go."
Passport costs – applying online is cheaper
Passport application costs for the standard (up to three weeks), fast-track (one-week), and premium (same day) services rose by up to £14.50 earlier this month. Here are the current fees:
📝 Paper cost | 💻 Online cost | |
|---|---|---|
👩 Adult | £107 | £94.50 |
🧒 Child | £74 | £61.50 |
Postal applications aren't available under the fast-track and premium services.
See the Gov.uk website for a full list of current passport costs.
Using the Post Office's 'Check & Send' service? You can also save by opting for the digital version
Over 570,000 people used the Post Office's Check & Send service last year. The idea behind this scheme is for the Post Office to check your passport application before it's sent to try to ensure you've included the correct documents, that your photos don't breach any restrictions, and that the forms have been filled in correctly. The aim of this is to minimise delays to your application.
Check & Send is an optional extra that costs £16 on top of the standard passport fee.
There are two versions of Check & Send: digital and paper. Though the £16 fee is the same for both, the digital version still works out cheaper overall. For example, at the current rates, renewing an adult passport using digital Check & Send costs £110.50 (£94.50 + £16), while doing the same renewal using paper Check & Send costs £123 (£107 + £16, £12.50 more).
Crucially, if you opt for the digital Check & Send service, the Post Office will complete the online application form and take your digital photo for you – so you can save even if you aren't able or don't want to do this yourself.
For more help and info, see our Passport renewal tips guide.
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13 May 2025
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