If you’ve been thinking about registering a trademark, renewing a design, or securing intellectual property protection for your business, you might want to act sooner rather than later. From 1 April 2026, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) is increasing its official fees by approximately 25% across all services. This is the first significant increase in over two decades. But before you panic, let’s talk about what this actually means, why it’s happening, and why brand protection remains one of the smartest investments you can in your brand.

What’s Actually Changing?

The UK Intellectual Property Office has announced that its official fees are to increase by an average of 25% from 1 April 2026 for trademarks, registered designs and patents. For trademarks specifically, these fees have not increased since 1998, making this the first adjustment in 28 years. The increases apply across the board:

• Trademark applications and renewals
• Registered design filings
• Patent applications and renewals
• Opposition and procedural actions

The increases come into effect on 1 April 2026, and crucially, the current fee structure remains in place up to and including March 31, 2026, meaning any applications submitted and fees paid by then will be charged at the existing (lower) rate.

Why Is This Happening Now?

The UKIPO says the approximately 25% increase is necessary to address the rises in UK inflation rates in recent years, and to ease future cost pressures on the UKIPO. The office is also investing in digital infrastructure and modernising systems to serve UK businesses better. Here’s the context: trademark fees have been frozen since 1998. Design fees since 2016. Patents since 2018. During that time, the UKIPO has absorbed inflation through improved efficiency and reserves. But to continue providing the quality services that protect UK intellectual property on the world stage, an adjustment was inevitable.

Who Does This Affect?

Everyone. Whether you’re a solopreneur with one brand, an established business protecting multiple marks, or a growing company managing a portfolio of intellectual property, these changes apply to you. This includes:

• Business owners planning to start your brand protection with a free trademark search
• Companies with upcoming trademark renewals
• Startups protecting their identity before launch
• Organisations managing large IP portfolios
• Anyone seeking registered design protection

If you’ve been postponing brand protection because you thought it could wait, this is your moment.

The Investment Perspective: Why Brand Protection Still Matters

Here’s the reality most business owners discover too late: the most expensive brand protection is not having brand protection. When you choose to protect your brand, you’re not paying for something “extra.” You’re investing in:

• Legal ownership of your brand name, logo, and identity
• The ability to stop competitors from copying what you’ve built
• Enterprise value (investors and buyers take IP seriously)
• Peace of mind (you can build without fear of a cease-and-desist letter)
• Revenue protection (your brand is often your most valuable asset)

By contrast, the cost of not protecting your brand can include:

• Losing your brand name to a competitor
• Costly rebranding exercises (which can run into tens of thousands)
• Legal disputes and cease-and-desist letters
• Confusion in the marketplace harming your reputation
• Reduced business valuation

A 25% fee increase is significant in absolute terms, but in context, it remains far smaller than the cost of recovering from brand infringement or the loss of brand equity. Also worth knowing: UKIPO fees have remained comparatively low by international standards, even after the April increase. UK trademark protection is still an excellent value compared to other jurisdictions.

What You Should Do Right Now

If you’re planning to file or renew: The window is narrow but actionable. You have until 31 March 2026 to lock in current fees. For trademark applications and design filings, any applications submitted and fees paid by then will be charged at the existing (lower) rate. This can translate into meaningful savings, particularly if you’re protecting your brand across multiple classes of goods or services. For trademark renewals, the advantage is even greater. Requests to renew trademark registrations can be made up to six months in advance. The existing (soon to be old) official fees will continue to apply to any renewal requests made before 1 April 2026, regardless of the renewal due date. This means trademark owners can benefit from current fees for renewals of all registrations that expire up to 30 September 2026 if they act now.

Three Practical Steps

1. Conduct a free trademark search Start with a free trademark search to understand what’s available in your space and whether your brand name or logo is protectable. This takes minutes and costs nothing. 2. Review your IP portfolio If you already have trademarks or designs registered, check which ones are approaching renewal dates between now and September 2026. Early renewal before 1 April saves you the 25% increase. 3. Plan ahead If you’ve been sitting on the fence about brand protection, now is the time to move. Delaying typically means paying more and risking your brand identity. We can help you understand your options with a quick conversation.

Understanding Why Trademarks Are On The Rise

Interestingly, even as UKIPO fees increase, demand for trademark protection isn’t slowing down. In recent years, trademark applications have been going up year after year, reflecting businesses’ growing awareness of the need to protect their brands. This trend shows that savvy business owners understand the importance of brand protection, regardless of fee changes. They see it as essential infrastructure for growth.

You’re Not Alone in This

At The Trademark Helpline, we’ve been helping business owners, entrepreneurs, and established companies protect their brands for 18 years. We’ve seen the good decisions (brands that were protected early) and the costly ones (businesses that moved too slowly). One thing we’ve learned: the businesses that regret brand protection decisions are rarely the ones who acted early. They’re the ones who delayed. If you’d like to discuss your specific situation, whether you need to file a new trademark, renew an existing one, or simply understand your options, we’re here to help.

Next Steps

• Start your free trademark search – Takes 2 minutes, costs nothing, gives you clarity on availability
• Download our free trademark guide – Understand the full process and timeline
• Book a consultation with our team – Talk through your situation and get specific advice

The fee increase is real. But your brand is worth protecting, and now is the moment to act.

Key Takeaways

• UK IPO fees are rising by approximately 25% from 1 April 2026
• This is the first increase for trademarks since 1998
• You can lock in current fees by filing or renewing before 31 March 2026
• Trademark and design renewals due through 30 September 2026 can be filed early at current rates
• UK IP protection remains competitive globally, even after the increase
• The cost of brand protection is far smaller than the cost of not protecting your brand
• Now is the ideal time to review your IP strategy and take action

Questions? Get in touch. We’re here to help you protect what you’ve built.