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BMD Certificates Going Up Again?

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  • BMD Certificates Going Up Again?

    Local Register Offices have received a circular from GRO dated 9th March which stated that the fees for Birth Marriage and Death certificates issued by Superintendent Registrars is set to increase from £9 to £10 with effect from 1st April 2012. It was also stated that these changes are being brought into effect through the Registration of Births Deaths and Marriages (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2012 which was laid before Parliament on 9th March. So order your certificates from the local register office as soon as you can!

    The next question is "Will this affect the cost of certificates from the GRO?" It is the local register office that has the original certificates and the GRO has copies only.

    Janet
    Last edited by Janet; 16-03-12, 15:10.

  • #2
    i don't understand why they would be priced differently. i have all my direct line anyway, but when i get started up, it won't be cheap for the aunts and uncles etc.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by kylejustin View Post
      i don't understand why they would be priced differently. i have all my direct line anyway, but when i get started up, it won't be cheap for the aunts and uncles etc.
      I think the process is different and maybe locally it is more labour intensive whereas from GRO it's all digitised and computerised so uses less costly labour!

      I expect though that the price will rise at GRO too as it will be covered by the same legislation.
      Margaret

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      • #4
        So, will there be an announcement from the GRO before the price goes up from L9.25?

        I just ordered several, and my first thought when I read this was - I've ordered all I need.

        But I woke up this morning and realized I really ought to buy several more...
        Last edited by PhotoFamily; 17-03-12, 15:46.

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        • #5
          Actually, local authorities can charge what they like for certificates, although they have historically kept within the same price range as the GRO.

          The automated online service from the GRO is cheaper than ordering manually, either from the GRO OR from the local RO - the automated site was set up in order to be cheaper.

          OC

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          • #6
            shame they dont do buy one get one free;)

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            • #7
              From Lost Cousins newsletter: I'm delighted to report that, despite making a loss on certificates in the 2010/11 financial year and making 27 staff redundant just before Christmas, either of which might have signalled a further substantial increase in certificate prices, the GRO is holding the price at £9.25 in 2012/13, even though the price of certificates from local register offices will be going up by 11% from £9 to £10 (excluding postage) from 1st April.
              People: Canton, Wiseman, Colthup, Scrace
              Places: Pembrokeshire, Kent.

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              • #8
                Kyle

                They are priced differently because both are charging for a service, that of retrieving and copying the information. The GRO has streamlined their automated service, the local ROs rely on old fashioned manual retrieval and copying.

                Personally, I still think it is good value for money and I'm grateful I live in a country where we are able to purchase these records.

                OC

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by webwiz View Post
                  From Lost Cousins newsletter: I'm delighted to report that, despite making a loss on certificates in the 2010/11 financial year and making 27 staff redundant just before Christmas, either of which might have signalled a further substantial increase in certificate prices, the GRO is holding the price at £9.25 in 2012/13, even though the price of certificates from local register offices will be going up by 11% from £9 to £10 (excluding postage) from 1st April.
                  Thank goodness - I can space out my purchases!

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                  • #10
                    they used to be nice and cheap at 7 pounds, even when transferring the price aussie dollars. now they are about the same price, and have half the info! ah well, some states charge around $40 for their certs, so i guess it could be worse! but i do think if they want profits, they shouls lower the price!

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by kylejustin View Post
                      they used to be nice and cheap at 7 pounds, even when transferring the price aussie dollars. now they are about the same price, and have half the info! ah well, some states charge around $40 for their certs, so i guess it could be worse! but i do think if they want profits, they shouls lower the price!
                      They don't want profits - they're a government department and not allowed to make profits!!

                      They are simply trying to charge an amount that the general taxpayer is not subsidising - and quite right too!

                      This is our hobby and we should pay for it. I always come back to the idea that if it was golf we would pay a darn sight more.
                      Margaret

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                      • #12
                        There's a (valid) suggestion that charging higher and higher prices suppresses demand without necessarily increasing profit. Christine
                        Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                        • #13
                          Christine

                          I'm sure the GRO (or whatever it is now called!) would be highly delighted if demand dropped off for certificates - they could then make more staff redundant. It was never envisaged that there would be such a high demand for "hobby" certificates when the legislation was laid down in 1837!

                          OC

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                          • #14
                            "They are simply trying to charge an amount that the general taxpayer is not subsidising - and quite right too!

                            This is our hobby and we should pay for it."

                            I agree 100%. Which is exactly why they SHOULD lower the price. But we have had this arguement pretty regularly every March/April when they announce their accounts/price hikes! I suggest anyone interested searches the old posts here rather than the same arguements are rehashed...nothings changed (unfortunately).

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by webwiz View Post
                              From Lost Cousins newsletter: I'm delighted to report that, despite making a loss on certificates in the 2010/11 financial year and making 27 staff redundant just before Christmas, either of which might have signalled a further substantial increase in certificate prices, the GRO is holding the price at £9.25 in 2012/13, even though the price of certificates from local register offices will be going up by 11% from £9 to £10 (excluding postage) from 1st April.
                              Just got the same message from Lost Cousins Newsletter so it looks as if we can breathe a sigh of relief for the moment!!

                              However, I am left wondering whether or not those people who have always purchased certificates from Local offices might well think twice about paying £10 for a certificate now, when they can purchase certificates from the GRO at £9.25, and as it was the GRO that sent the circular to the Local offices to ask them to increase the charge from £9 to £10 for certificates, I am left with the thought that this was a "sneaky" way for the GRO to obtain more revenue without actually increasing their prices for the time being! It will be interesting to see how many switch from purchasing from Local offices to purchasing from GRO.

                              No apologies for continuing to call it GRO, too longwinded to use the other name.

                              Janet
                              Last edited by Janet; 19-03-12, 10:59.

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                              • #16
                                GRO doesn't get the revenue from local ROs, I don't think. Local ROs are funded by the local authority and GRO is funded from central taxes.


                                Certs from local ROs have sometimes been more expensive than from GRO but I would always use a local RO over the GRO for anything which had a query attached. Even now, they are still more helpful than the GRO and that would alwasys be worth the extra 75p to me, if I had a query.

                                OC

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                                • #17
                                  OC

                                  So why did the GRO send the circular to the RO's asking them to increase the price from £9 to £10?

                                  It may well be that the GRO does not get the revenue from the Local RO's but if people switch to buying certificates from the GRO instead of the local RO because they will be cheaper at £9.25 from the GRO then the GRO will automatically increase its revenue at the expense of the Local RO. It may be that people will not switch but if cost is so important to some people then they may switch and that would be to the GRO's benefit!

                                  Presumably there are still those not buying certificates at all because they are hanging on to the vain hope that prices will go down at the GRO, but I have always said that is pie in the sky. In my lifetime I have never known prices go DOWN, only UP!

                                  Janet
                                  Last edited by Janet; 19-03-12, 11:49.

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                                  • #18
                                    I think it is to keep some kind of parity. It's a long time since I've bought a cert from the GRO, but I seem to remember that if you DON'T use the automated online ordering service, then certs from the GRO are more expensive than the local RO.

                                    OC

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                                    • #19
                                      OC

                                      As I understand it Certs from GRO are £9.25 whether you buy online or by post, at least in the UK. Overseas may pay a liittle more for postage , not sure about that one?

                                      Obviously at £9 the Certs from the RO were cheaper than the GRO, even if it was only 25P, but after 1 April the differentiation will be 75P and those with much less money will, I am sure think twice about purchasing from RO when they will be able to purchase cheaper from the GRO.

                                      I have not needed any certs since the last hike so I also have not bought any at this price. But I still think it could be interesting to see how many switch from local RO to GRO knowing they can now get certs at the cheaper price after 1 April. If a lot switch then as I have already said the GRO will automatically increase its revenue without actually increasing the cost of the certificate. Win, win for the GRO without even trying!

                                      Janet
                                      Last edited by Janet; 19-03-12, 12:06.

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                                      • #20
                                        "Presumably there are still those not buying certificates at all because they are hanging on to the vain hope that prices will go down at the GRO, but I have always said that is pie in the sky. In my lifetime I have never known prices go DOWN, only UP!"

                                        I have a rather more optimistic view on it Janet. After all, look how many records are now available on websites for a small subscription charge, that once would have required lots of money in time and effort travelling to view. I once paid ten pounds for a copy of an old parish register entry in Scotland just a few years back. These days I could view it for less than a pound so a ninety per cent plus drop there. There absolutely will be a day when the current GRO certs, or uncertified copies at least, will be available to view at a much cheaper price, because there is a demand for it, it makes much more economic sense than the current loss making tax payer burdening system, and one day someone somewhere will wise up to that. I'm not holding my breath either of course, but being in my thirties I am hoping to still be around long enough to see it!
                                        Last edited by Richard; 19-03-12, 12:32.

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