Sophie Bird and Oliver Newbery, in our Corporate & Commercial team, summarise the latest updates from the Intellectual Property Office and Companies House in relation to filing fee increases.
If you are a business owner, or your work involves handling intellectual property or company paperwork, it's worth paying attention to how these changes might affect your day-to-day costs and planning.
Changes to Intellectual Property Office fees
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is increasing fees for patents, trademarks and designs from 1 April 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. The IPO cite the proposed increase in fees of 25% as necessary “to address the 32% rise in inflation since 2016 and future cost pressures that cannot be fully offset through further efficiency savings or reserves”.
Assuming parliamentary approval is granted, the following changes in cost (amongst others) will take place:
- Application for a trademark (online): from £170 to £205
- Registering each additional trademark class (paper or online): from £50 to £60
- Renewing trademark registration (paper or online): from £200 to £245
- Renewing trademark registration class fee (paper or online): from £50 to £60
For more information on the change of fees, see the following link: Intellectual Property Office fees to increase from April 2026 - GOV.UK.
Changes to Companies House fees
Companies House (CH) have changed some of their fees as of 1 February 2026. It is important to note that CH review their fees annually and have increased their fees following the implementation of the compulsory identity verification of directors on 18 November 2025 "to take action against fraudulent companies". CH has cited that the funding received from their fees creates "a transparent marketplace that boosts economic confidence and disrupts economic crime by taking robust action to prevent criminals from abusing the UK's corporate structures, giving legitimate companies the assurance they need to do business in the UK."
The following new costs (amongst others) apply:
- Incorporation (online): £100
- Incorporation (paper): £124
- Confirmation Statement (online): £50
- Confirmation Statement (paper): £110
For more information on the change of fees, see the following link: Changes to Companies House fees - Changes to UK company law.
For further information or legal advice on creating a trademark or incorporating a company, please email law@blandy.co.uk or call 0118 951 6800.
This article is intended for the use of clients and other interested parties. The information contained in it is believed to be correct at the date of publication, but it is necessarily of a brief and general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific professional advice.
