THE Canal & River Trust has confirmed an increase of 6% in boat licence fees from April 1, 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% until then.
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 the licence fee for their boats: licensing.canalrivertrust.org.uk/LicencePrices.
Richard Parry, chief executive, said: “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.”
CRT 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
The Gold Licence charges, agreed with the Environment Agency, will increase by 10% from January 1, 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 starting January 1, 2025. The additional wide beam surcharge is not applied to the Gold Licence as it already factors in a charge for wider boats.
More information on boat licences is available here: canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/buy-your-boat-licence/long-term-boat-licences
