Why Should We Pay

[DIMWITT]

My passport is up for renewal soon , I had a shock when I found I was going to £72.50 to renew it , at 70 years of age that's quite a lot of money . I have just renewed my driving licence and that's cost me nothing . I think it's a cheek to ask that amount for a passport .I saw in the paper a few weeks ago that the passport office have made millions in profit , so why not hand a bit back to pensioners , a mere drop in the ocean out of their profit , or do they want to keep us oldies in the uk ?

[Retrochic]

I suppose they reckon that you only need a passport for International travel so if you can afford to go abroad you can afford the fee - its for 10 years so at £7.25 a year its not that bad.

[Old_Geezer]

You have my sympathy. They shouldn't be looking to make a profit. Probably the cost of all the ID tech they put in.

[bednobs]

why should pensioners get a credit?

[Psybbo]

Bednobs, I'm a pensioner and I agree with you.

[woofgang]

why shouldn't you pay? you don't have to have a passport.

[askyourgran]

I'm just weighing up whether it is worth renewing mine now. The cost of holiday insurance is the biggie. Please don't give it the poor pensioner, maybe we should ask for 5 year ones once we reach 75 at half the price.

[jourdain2]

When I renewed mine the other year (I was living in France) it was about £150!

[joggerjayne]

You don't need to pay, or have one.

It's just that, not having a passport ... it's a bit like being ... you know ...

... an American.

[overthetop]

I have no intention of doing international travel but had to renew my passport recently for ID purposes. I don't drive, and passport or driving licence seem to be the only options for ID.

[jomifl]

Woofgang, try opening a bank account or transferring money overseas without a passport. I think you will find it next to impossible. A bank clerk in a branch of natwest got a bollocking for letting me transfer money overseas without showing a passport. I had had an account with that branch for 45 years and he had known me for about 15 years.

[mrs.chappie]

It does seem rather steep just for a renewal.

[bhg481]

The cost of the passport goes towards the cost of controlling entry to and exit from the country and providing embassy/consulate services for Brits travelling abroad. A driving license helps the treasury fill its coffers with speeding fines etc. In other words, people with passports cost the country money, people with driving licenses pay money to the country. Am I being cynical?

[Prudie]

It's a lot to pay out in one go I agree, for everyone actually, but as retro says, £7.25 a year is very reasonable.

[EDDIE51]

jomifl I opened a bank account with just a driving licence for ID no passport.
Any one can transfer money overseas via Paypal in an instant, you can transfer cash with Western Union or another wire transfer you just need the cash in your hand.Not even an ID.

[Pete65]

"Why Should We Pay"
Why shouldn't we pay?
I am a pensioner and quite happily pay my way in society.
I live within my means and certainly do not expect others to fund my lifestyle.

[puternut]

I seem to recall that when I Last renewed my driving licence it was the cost of a passport size photo and £20?

Anyone else confirm?

[chelle7272]

It £14 to renew, but there is no fee if you are 70 or over.

[EDDIE51]

A passport is free for anyone born before 2nd September 1929.

[whiskeryron]

//
Pete65
"Why Should We Pay"
Why shouldn't we pay?
I am a pensioner and quite happily pay my way in society.
I live within my means and certainly do not expect others to fund my lifestyle. // I wholeheartedly agree. I feel that one of the reasons a passport costs so much is because of the technology involved which I do not object to. A passport as stated in this post is a form of ID which is necessary in this day & age, in fact I find it very difficult to understand the objections in this country to iD cards which I think would help to keep us safe ( at the very least from a security point of view the authorities would know who is legally entitled to be here )

[EDDIE51]

The objections to ID cards were mainly over 'loss of privacy' .
I have worked and lived in 2 other countries and both had compulsory ID cards that you had to carry at all times.
I am very surprised they have not been made compulsory here in view of the 'terrorist threat'.