Separate 'secure delivery' fee for each passport?

nobler

I recently applied for 3 passports for family members (all at same address) online and sent the various paperwork & photos all in one big envelope (with separate envelopes for each person's stuff inside).
My husband then received a letter saying "we've been trying to ring you about your application please call us", it turned out there was no problem with the application they just want him to pay £5 extra for secure delivery. Then we subsequently received letters to each of us (including my husband) asking for an extra £5 for secure delivery. IMHO the way it is worded implies that this payment is mandatory and we won't get our passports until we pay - which really gets my back up even though I know it is sensible to go for the secure option!
So my question is this... Do I really have to pay £15 to get them all delivered seperately to the same address?!
TIA

steve1500

We just renewed a passport, paid the standard fee & new passport was with us a week later.


Came through letter box but didn't appear to have been delivered by Royal Mail

bap98189

The fee isn't to deliver your passport, it is for the return of your other documents (birth certificate etc.).

It is optional. You can tell them you want them returned by standard post for which there is no charge, but this is at your risk should they go missing.

nobler

I've just had another look at the letters and realised the numbers don't add up. Even though the applications were started online and paid for before the price increase (we then had 90 days to submit paperwork and photos) they seem to be saying we haven't paid enough and are also bundling the secure delivery fee into the extra payment they are asking for.