The Home Office has confirmed that firearms licensing fees in England and Wales will rise again from 4 June 2026, with the government also signalling plans for ongoing inflation-linked increases in the future.
According to the Home Office, the latest fee increases have been calculated using the Office for National Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure of three per cent for the 12 months to February 2026.
The increase follows major fee rises introduced in February 2025, which were intended to move firearms licensing towards full cost recovery for police forces.
However, the latest announcement is likely to raise concern across the trade after the Home Office confirmed it intends to introduce regular inflation-based fee increases moving forward.
In the letter, Mr Hunt stated: “At that time, the Home Office committed to more regular reviews of the fees, and with the agreement of HM Treasury, we will now be introducing more regular inflation-based increases alongside a comprehensive review of costs every three years.”
The statement suggests firearms certificate holders, registered firearms dealers and shooting businesses could now face recurring annual fee increases tied to inflation, alongside wider structural reviews every three years.
A new statutory instrument laying out the revised fees was introduced in Parliament on 14 May by minister of state for policing and crime, Sarah Jones.
The Home Office has also published Home Office Circular 001/2026 on GOV.UK outlining the updated fee structure and guidance on implementation.
The continued rise in firearms licensing costs is expected to remain a significant concern for the shooting trade, particularly for dealers and certificate holders already facing increasing regulatory and administrative pressures.