Passport Renewal

larry_lurex

I apologise if this information is posted elsewhere. The issue is straightforward: My passport expired a couple of years ago, will need one this fall.

I gather the application for renewal will cost £72.50 (why I need to pay this on top of tax is another question) and a photograph will edge it up to £80. Is this right or are there other costs?

I further understand there is no help for those on benefits (JSA in my case).

I would be grateful if someone who has recently renewed or knows something worth knowing could reply. Many thanks.

mcfisco

You pay tax on your JSA?

The cuts are deeper than I thought

Bob_the_Saver

https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees

Exactly which tax did you want to pay?

I think JSA is 100% help isn't it.

larry_lurex

mcfisco wrote: »

You pay tax on your JSA?

The cuts are deeper than I thought

I know you are trying to be funny. The T in VAT stands for tax, for example, and everybody pays it. Those on JSA and any other benefit except pensions have to pay Council Tax, too now. That is a heavy tax and severely reduces JSA.

So I do not think your joke is funny but carry on.

larry_lurex

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees

Exactly which tax did you want to pay?

I think JSA is 100% help isn't it.

Thanks, I had already googled that. I was after stuff like "used post office check and send, worth/not worth it." "Took weeks to renew/was fast."

Never mind. Thanks.

Bob_the_Saver

larry_lurex wrote: »

Thanks, I had already googled that. I was after stuff like "used post office check and send, worth/not worth it." "Took weeks to renew/was fast."

Never mind. Thanks.

You don't need check and send just read the instructions and don't leave it until the last minute. It takes longer in July than February - How's that.
You still have not said which extra tax you are going to pay?

mcfisco

I further understand there is no help for those on benefits (JSA in my case).

It may be worse than you think; if you intend to go on holiday, you will need to sign off for JSA and the re-apply when you return.
You therefore may want to arrange any trip so that it doesn't interfere with signing on.

larry_lurex

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

You don't need check and send just read the instructions and don't leave it until the last minute. It takes longer in July than February - How's that.
You still have not said which extra tax you are going to pay?

Thanks. What I meant was "what is tax there for when the subject/citizen has to pay for each service the state provides". JSA is pure help of a tenner a day, you are right. Pure help which has to be partly used to pay - you guessed it - tax.

Bob_the_Saver

larry_lurex wrote: »

Thanks. What I meant was "what is tax there for when the subject/citizen has to pay for each service the state provides". JSA is pure help of a tenner a day, you are right. Pure help which has to be partly used to pay - you guessed it - tax.

Well if passports were all free (a few are) they'd have to put the taxes up.

larry_lurex

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Well if passports were all free (a few are) they'd have to put the taxes up.

Let us presume a million of us apply for a new passport per year, that would cost the state £72.5m. However, that would be lost revenue, not actual cost because producing a passport only costs a few quid.

Even if it is £50m it would cost the state, anyone familiar with debt (approaching a trillion) would agree it would be a drop in the ocean.

mcfisco

larry_lurex wrote: »

Let us presume a million of us apply for a new passport per year, that would cost the state £72.5m. However, that would be lost revenue, not actual cost because producing a passport only costs a few quid.

Even if it is £50m it would cost the state, anyone familiar with debt (approaching a trillion) would agree it would be a drop in the ocean.

Try 6.5 million+, or in monetary terms about a month's worth of JSA payments for the whole of the UK