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Millions of Brits could pocket some savings when applying for their next UK passport by following a handful of straightforward steps to cut down an already costly process. In total, making three simple decisions could slash the overall cost by as much as £25.

As of April 1, 2026, the price of a UK passport application starts from £61.50 for children and £94.50 for adults. However, costs are set to climb within days, rising from Wednesday, April 8.

From next week, adults will be forking out over £100 for a standard document, while children's passports will be more than £65. Martin Lewis' MSE website has published a guide outlining three steps to ensure new passports cost as little as possible.

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At the time of writing, applying online via GOV.UK is £12.50 cheaper than using a paper form, which costs £107. Once the price increases kick in from 8 April, the online application fee of £102 will be £13.50 less than the new paper form price of £115.50.

Those whose passports are nearing expiry may wish to consider renewing before the price rise takes effect. Adult passports are valid for 10 years, meaning the cost doesn't need to be thought about again until 2036, reports the Express.

The second money-saving tip from MSE is to opt for the digital route wherever possible. While both methods typically take around three weeks to process, the savings are immediate.

Though £12 to £13 may appear modest, for a family renewing their passports simultaneously, the savings can stack up considerably. Two adults applying for standard passports at the same time could save £26, and the savings for two children add up to £25, meaning a typical family of four would save over £50 by applying online compared to the paper version.

If your current passport has fewer than 10 months remaining, it may well be worth renewing. However, be aware that if people renew before their passport expires, any remaining time on it will no longer be carried over to the expiry date of their new one.

Those who find digital services difficult to navigate may want to consider the Post Office's 'Check & Send' service. This provides a way for people to pay the digital price while receiving assistance with the technical aspects of the application process.

The Post Office offers a service costing £16, plus passport fees, helping customers complete the digital application in branch, take a photo in line with HM Passport Office guidelines, and have supporting documents checked to ensure all requirements are met.

A member of staff will then electronically submit the application on your behalf. This service is available for both adult and child passports. From April 1, 2026, the Post Office 'Check and Send' Digital service will cost £110.50 for adults and £77.50 for children.

The third option for reducing the cost of a passport application is to complete the process online yourself and take your own ID photo. Meeting the required criteria doesn't need a professional setup, and in most cases, this step comes at no cost.

The MSE website claimed: "If it's been a while since you last applied for a passport, you may be surprised to learn that you can now take your passport photo yourself at home and upload it directly into your online application. This means you don't need to shell out for photos taken at high-street shops or photo booths, which can typically cost between £5 and £13."

• You can use your smartphone – just make sure the photo is clear, in focus and in colour: There's no need to use a fancy camera (unless you have one around, of course!)
• Take it against a plain, light background: The photo should include your head, shoulders and upper body, with no other people or objects in the frame.
• Avoid editing or altering it: It will be cropped during the application process, so there's no need to do it yourself.

For full details and the official guidelines, including how to take children's passport photos, see the GOV.UK website.