Licence increase announced 2024-25

[adam1uk]

News release from CRT:

 

27 November 2023

 

BOAT LICENCE FEES FOR 2024-25

 

The Canal & River Trust is today confirming an increase of 6% in boat licence fees from 1 April 2024 for both private boat owners and boating businesses. The rise is based on the latest Bank of England forecasts that inflation will remain at around 4.5% through until April 2024.

 

The surcharges for boats without a home mooring and wide beam boats, and changes to the prompt and online payment discounts, announced on 4 October, will be applied in addition to this rise.

 

Boaters can use a new online calculator on the Trust’s website to calculate what the licence fee will be for their boats: licensing.canalrivertrust.org.uk/LicencePrices.  

 

Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, said: “The recent years have been a challenge for organisations and individuals alike. We know that the cost-of-living crisis will have affected many boaters and we have thought long and hard about the licence fee rises we are introducing. There is support available for boaters, and we urge people who are struggling to get in touch with our team.

 

“The Trust has been heavily impacted by the adverse economic environment. Over the past few years, we’ve faced significant increases in a range of our costs, notably the prices of energy, fuel, materials, and other construction demands. Meanwhile our government grant is reducing in real terms and is due to be cut sharply after 2027, unless our Keep Canals Alive campaign and the multi-organisation Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign persuade Government to revisit its decision. We must act now to plug the funding gap, or we risk seeing canals decline and, ultimately, the risk of closures.

 

“We’ll continue to secure as much income as we can through our commercial and charitable activities and focus our resources on those priority works which are required to support navigation, and on controlling our costs where possible. The 2,000 miles of waterways that we care for comprise 10,000 assets and structures, many of which are up to 250-years-old, and they are vulnerable to the extreme weather events that are becoming more common. We are continuing to invest in an extensive ongoing programme of works that will safeguard the future of boating on the inland waterways.”

 

The cost of the licence, which accounts for around 11% of the Trust’s income, has largely kept pace with inflation since the charity was formed. Whilst this is a valuable component of the Trust’s income stream, boaters will not be expected to bear the full brunt of the funding shortfall but will have to make some contribution. The Trust is also working to generate more income from its property and non-property endowment, and from other commercial sources such as hosting utilities and water transfer. A step-change in income generation from towpath users and other supporters is targeted, with fundraising income projected to grow by 10% each year – whilst other commercial waterways income, including from anglers, paddle sports and moorings, is also set to increase.

 

The Gold Licence charges, agreed with the Environment Agency, will increase by 10% from 1 January 2024. This reflects the higher increases applied to fees in 2023. The surcharge for boats without a home mooring will be applied to Gold Licences from 1 January 2025. The additional wide beam surcharge is not applied to the Gold Licence as it already factors in a charge for wider boats.

 

The Trust will continue to support boaters who may be struggling to pay their licence fees on a case-by-case basis. This may include arranging flexible payment plans and signposting to relevant services, for example the Waterways Chaplaincy, local authorities and Citizens Advice. For more information visit: canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/do-you-know-a-vulnerable-boater

 

More information on boat licences is available here:  canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/buy-your-boat-licence/long-term-boat-licences

 

-ends-

[robtheplod]

Interesting. After hearing all the uproar about continuous cruisers being charged extra i put in CC and non-CC and the difference was £65, which over 12 months i thought that was pretty good, and still waaaaaaay cheaper than a marina!!!!

[jonesthenuke]

I wonder what this means "A step-change in income generation from towpath users and other supporters is targeted". I would be impressed if they can raise significant money from Joe Public on the towpath.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, robtheplod said:

Interesting. After hearing all the uproar about continuous cruisers being charged extra i put in CC and non-CC and the difference was £65, which over 12 months i thought that was pretty good, and still waaaaaaay cheaper than a marina!!!!

 

It is steeply tapered, very small increase in 2024 increasing by (upto) 75% by 2028

 

Whilst we are no longer on C&RT waters for our boat the 2023 licence (CC) is £1385 and the 2024 licence would be £1670 so ~£300 difference.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It is steeply tapered, very small increase in 2024 increasing by (upto) 75% by 2028

rodtheplod has a narrowboat so I think it’d be 25% for him

 

is your 75% figure for the widest boats without a home mooring?

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

is your 75% figure for the widest boats without a home mooring?

 

Yes, thats why I said "Up to" - the widest boats are band 3 and that is all boats over 10' 7.5" (3.24m) beam which from what I have seen is a large number of these wideboats (typically 11' -  12' even 14' beam)

[IanD]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Yes, thats why I said "Up to" - the widest boats are band 3 and that is all boats over 10' 7.5" (3.24m) beam which from what I have seen is a large number of these wideboats (typically 11' -  12' even 14' beam)

The total surcharge for a CC widebeam will reach 75%, but this isn't a 75% increase because they already pay a 20% surcharge...

[Hudds Lad]

16 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

rodtheplod has a narrowboat so I think it’d be 25% for him

 

You done spelled robtheplob's name wrongly  

 

I've often thought a widebeam on the L&L and beyond would be nice, but not at those prices  

[Arthur Marshall]

That's a lot less than I expected. I thought it was going to be 5% abive the inflation figure. I think that's less than it went up last year.

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, IanD said:

The total surcharge for a CC widebeam will reach 75%, but this isn't a 75% increase because they already pay a 20% surcharge...

 

It is a 75% increase above the 'standard' licence fee as calculated on the 2023 licence consultation methology

 

From C&RT website

 

Boats without home moorings over 3.24m/10ft 7½” (Band 3) will see an increase from the existing 20% surcharge to a 75% surcharge. It will be phased in, so that the surcharge in each year is as follows:

• April 2023 (existing): Standard licence fee +20%
• April 2024: Standard licence fee +31%
• April 2025: Standard licence fee +42%
• April 2026: Standard licence fee +53%
• April 2027: Standard licence fee +64%
• April 2028: Standard licence fee +75%

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Still excellent value for the use of the canals and rivers. I think it is a fairer schedule of charges than presently in force.

[IanD]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It is a 75% increase above the 'standard' licence fee as calculated on the 2023 licence consultation methology

 

From C&RT website

 

Boats without home moorings over 3.24m/10ft 7½” (Band 3) will see an increase from the existing 20% surcharge to a 75% surcharge. It will be phased in, so that the surcharge in each year is as follows:

• April 2023 (existing): Standard licence fee +20%
• April 2024: Standard licence fee +31%
• April 2025: Standard licence fee +42%
• April 2026: Standard licence fee +53%
• April 2027: Standard licence fee +64%
• April 2028: Standard licence fee +75%

<sigh> so it's a 46% increase over what they'd be paying today, since they can't not pay the 20% surcharge.

 

The thread is about license fee *increases* announced by CART, isn't it?

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, IanD said:

The thread is about license fee *increases* announced by CART, isn't it?

 

The thread may well be about the increase but my post which you have decide to pick up on was actually in response to Rob saying the increase was only £65 and I explained that there was a progressive/ cumulative annual phased increase rising up to 75% (for an 11 foot beam CC boat) above the standard licence fee.

 

Now of course the 'standard' licence fee will be increasing by X% annually so the 'added' percentages for CC or WB are on gradually increase on base figure so will actually become greater.

 

So if the standard licence today is £1000 working on 6% pa increases gives

 

2024/25 = £1060

2025/26 = £1123

2026/27 = £1190

2027/28 = £1261

2027/28 = £1336

 

The band 3 WB CCing will pay 

 

2024/25 = £1388

2025/26 = £1595

2026/27 = £1820

2027/28 = £2068

2028/29 = £2339

 

So for the April 2028 licence (based on a 6% pa licence inflation increase) will be 134% higher that 2023.

 

Over to you to have the last word.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[pearley]

Surprised at the 10% increase in Gold Licence as the increase the EA have confirmed for 2024 is 2%.

[Peanut]

I read that Those without a home mooring use the canals some 175% more than those with a Home Mooring. I am not sure where this figure comes from, could someone help me find out where?  Are these percentages the average movement of each group, relative to all boats?

From the CRT review which 26% of boaters completed, around 75.6% of boaters have a home mooring and 22.5% have none.  Not surprisingly, those without a mooring travel more than those with one, they have to.  Some may not, but that is a different issue.

Without knowing where these figures come from, it would appear those with a Home Mooring, about 70% of boaters, don't move much at all, some less than others, as some will navigate the system.

[Momac]

3 hours ago, jonesthenuke said:

I wonder what this means "A step-change in income generation from towpath users and other supporters is targeted". I would be impressed if they can raise significant money from Joe Public on the towpath.

Maybe boaters  will be charged a toll for stepping off their boat onto the towpath

[Nightwatch]

Never happy having to pay more, for anything, to be honest. These increases are not as painful as I thought they would be.

 

Seriously considering becoming a land lubber

[Alan de Enfield]

4 hours ago, jonesthenuke said:

I wonder what this means "A step-change in income generation from towpath users and other supporters is targeted". I would be impressed if they can raise significant money from Joe Public on the towpath.

 

It'll be interesting to see how they intend to get money from towpath users as it was a condition of the transfer from BW to C&RT that the towpaths must remain "free access" (the transfer document terminology)

[Momac]

15 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It'll be interesting to see how they intend to get money from towpath users 

Perhaps they expect people to pay for a pedestrian or cycling license?

 

 

 

25 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Seriously considering becoming a land lubber

Maybe others will feel the same

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by MartynG

[Nightwatch]

33 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Perhaps they expect people to pay for a pedestrian or cycling license?

 

 

 

Maybe others will feel the same

 

 

Can’t see the system improving very much over the next decade or so.

[Arthur Marshall]

2 hours ago, Peanut said:

From the CRT review which 26% of boaters completed, around 75.6% of boaters have a home mooring and 22.5% have none.  Not surprisingly, those without a mooring travel more than those with one, they have to.  Some may not, but that is a different issue.

Without knowing where these figures come from, it would appear those with a Home Mooring, about 70% of boaters, don't move much at all, some less than others, as some will navigate the system.

I'm not sure those without a home mooring do travel more than those of us with one who actually leave and go cruising. Most CCers seem to reckon a ten mile trip every fortnight is reasonable, as indeed it is. That's about 200 miles a year, factoring in a few stoppages or just not moving in winter. I do well over ten miles a day when on holiday, so just my six weeks summer mooching about would cover more than twice that.

Of course a lot of home moorers never leave the marina, and a few CCers actually cruise constantly.

All these figures are, frankly, rubbish - as we know, 90% of statistics are inaccurate and the rest are made up, including this one. Neither CCers or home moorers are a "community", or a homogenous lump. They're all different, and you can't generalise.

This increase is a lot better than I expected, and it'll still be a hell of a lot cheaper to CC than to have a home mooring, so maybe the whinging from both sides will stop. And there goes a flying pig...

[Midnight]

I don't mind these increases but I do mind the system falling to bits at an alarming rate. More for less! 

[nealeST]

2 hours ago, MartynG said:

Perhaps they expect people to pay for a pedestrian or cycling license?

I cycle along the L&L from Crosby boundary through Litherland to Bootle most days currently. Huge time saver, no cars or buses to worry about and as the signposts inform me, part of a recognised national cycle route. It’s splendid apart from dodging potholes but with so much practice I’m able to anticipate them the whole route now. If I were to pay I’d be unhappy with potholes. Additionally, I get to share the roads with dangerous traffic for free…I’m not sure you can have a charge for cycling a potholed towpath whilst road use is free? I’m happy to contribute a fee but how much could it possibly be? And who is going to know or find out at 7am in Litherland all through the winter??

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

40 minutes ago, Midnight said:

I don't mind these increases but I do mind the system falling to bits at an alarming rate. More for less! 

 

Let’s hope this little extra in their coffers goes to towards some improvements/repairs

”And there goes a flying pig..” to quote Arthur. 

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

so maybe the whinging from both sides will stop. And there goes a flying pig...

the whinging from either sides will never stop, 

we thrive on it,

4 minutes ago, nealeST said:

I’m happy to contribute a fee but how much could it possibly be?

If you go online you can make one off contributions or sign for monthly donations. 
 

[MtB]

40 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Let’s hope this little extra in their coffers goes to towards some improvements/repairs

 

It will make feck all difference. They need tens or hundreds of £millions.

 

These trivial increases will rake in little more than a £1m or three by my arithmetic. 

44 minutes ago, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Let’s hope this little extra in their coffers goes to towards some improvements/repairs

 

It will make feck all difference. They need tens or hundreds of £millions.

 

These trivial increases will rake in little more than a £1m or three by my arithmetic.