Have your say on increased licensing fees

Shooters are being urged to take part in a four-week consultation process on plans to increase the cost of firearms licensing fees

Under the Home Office proposals, fees would increase to £88 for a firearm certificate and £79.50 for a shotgun certificate. The cost of a renewal will increase to £49 for a shotgun certificate and £62 for a firearms certificate.

The Home Office says the increase would allow police forces to cover the cost of running the firearms licensing service once eCommerce – an online system currently being developed by the police – becomes operational.

Firearms licensing fees have not been increased since 2001. The current fee levied is £50 for a grant of a firearm and shotgun certificate and £40 for a renewal.

According to police estimates, forces currently recoup only 27% of the cost of issuing licences, which they say is unsustainable in the long term.

Countryside Alliance Director of Campaigns, Tim Bonner said: “The proposed increase in firearms licence fees is fair and proportionate bearing in mind the proposed move to an online system and that it has been 13 years since the last increase in fees.

“It is important that the licence system is effective and consistent across forces and serves users and the public to ensure safety. We urge the Government to make speedy progress towards modernisation of the licensing system and encourage all our members to take part in the consultation.”

The consultation will run from 27 November until 29 December and will be available on the government website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/a-proposal-to-increase-firearms-licensing-fees-administered-by-the-police

The consultation will also ask for responses on how the subsequent review process for firearms fees should be taken forward.