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Whilst the fee changes are subject to parliamentary approval, they are almost certain to take effect – read on to learn more.
The United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) recently announced that it intends to increase its official fees for patents, trade marks and designs from 1st April 2026.
These increases are subject to approval by the United Kingdom's Parliament – however we expect that parliamentary approval will be a mere formality. As such, clients should expect these increases to come into effect in full.
In summary, trade mark and design fees are planned to increase by 20% to 25%, whilst patent fees should rise by 25% to 40% (the majority by closer to 33%).
Whilst the percentage increase may seem quite high, it is worth noting that the UK IPO's patent, trade mark and design fees have not increased since 2018 for patents, 2016 for designs and 1998 for trade marks.
Here are a few examples of how the changes will affect new applications:
The changes will also affect the IPO's fees to renew registered and granted IP rights, to record transfers transactions such as changes of ownership, and to dispute intellectual property rights.
Clients may be able to take some actions early, to avoid paying the increased fees – this is particularly important if you own or are responsible for a large portfolio of registered/granted rights with renewal fees due shortly after 1st April 2026.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
