The price of a UK passport is set to increase in September.

The cost of obtaining a new UK passport is set to rise by more than £5 to counteract the decline of applications in recent months.

In effect from 3 September, the price of a ten-year adult passport will increase from £72 to £77.50. A child’s passport will also be more expensive, rising from £46 to £49.

Announced today by the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the passport fee increase is the first rise in prices since 2007 and will occur in September to reduce the impact on holidaymakers during high season.

According to the IPS and FCO, the decision to increase passport fees can be attributed to the decline in passport applications during the economic downturn. The fee increase will ensure the future viability of the IPS as well as pay for enhanced passport security measures.

Since the last price increase in 2007, more than eight million biometric passports have been issued.

People born on or before 2 September 1929 will still be issued with passports for free.

Home Office Minister Phil Woolas, said: “The announcement today of a fee increase […] will ensure that IPS is able to maintain the high standards in customer service and document security British citizens have come to expect.”

James Hall, Chief Executive of the IPS, added: “We are determined to do everything we can to minimise the impact on our customers and have already put in place a wide range of measures to cut costs.

“These include the restructure of the Glasgow Passport office, which saved £2 million per year; a reduction of 200 posts through natural wastage; and savings of more than £5 million on our contracts with private sector suppliers.”