Licence fees to soar despite major system inefficiencies
Rural communities face further financial struggles under the Labour Government, with firearm licensing fees set to more than double
The Home Office has published the new fee structure for firearm licensing, stating that it seeks full cost recovery for the police in line with the Government’s manifesto commitment.
The increases in fees range from an 111% rise for a firearms certificate renewal to a 157% hike for a shotgun certificate renewal. These increases far exceed compound inflation since 2014, when the fee structure was last updated.
The current licensing system is facing serious issues, with significant delays across the country. A number of police forces are taking a year or more to process applications. The Government claims the new fee structure will support policing to provide more effective and efficient firearms licensing controls, helping safeguard the public and provide a professional service to applicants. However, this claim is misleading.
Firearms licensing fees are paid into general police budgets and are not ring-fenced for the licensing system. Therefore there is no guarantee of how much of the increased fee revenue will go towards improving the current system, which is barely functioning.
BASC chief executive Ian Bell said: “The Government’s plan to raise fees without addressing the glaring inefficiencies in the system is outrageous. It appears this Government is intent on alienating yet another rural constituency. Imposing a rise in fees without tackling these inefficiencies endangers public safety and condemns people to having to pay a premium for an inefficient service, which in many cases can take years to process applications.
“There has been an absence of any proper consultation with stakeholders or the public, despite the fact that this has been done in the past with fee increases, and no transparency on how firearms fees are being calculated by this Government.”
Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: “Up to 157% increases in the cost of shotgun and firearms certificates is going to have a significant financial impact on the many in the countryside.
“We have consistently argued that if the Government wants to recover the cost of firearms licensing, that must be for an efficient system that delivers for users and the public. That is a million miles from the current firearms licensing system, which could hardly be designed to be more inefficient with 43 separate licensing authorities, some of which are providing appalling service.”
The new fee structure — which can range from £50 to £300 — comes into effect on 5 February 2025. We will carry more on this story in next week’s issue.
