From 1st April 2026, official UK trade mark fees will increase for the first time in decades, with rises averaging around 25% across many services.
For large corporates, this may be absorbed into existing legal budgets. For small and medium-sized businesses, particularly those in consumer, retail, or manufacturing sectors, it should be a prompt to review how seriously brand protection is being treated.
What the increase means in practice
Trade mark registration is often viewed as a one-off administrative step and is only addressed when launching a new brand or product. In reality, it is an ongoing investment.
From April 2026, the cost of filing new trade mark applications will rise. Patent filing and examination fees will also increase, as will design registrations and various renewal fees.
A 25% rise might not sound dramatic at first glance. But these increases add up quickly if you’re registering a brand across different classes of goods or services, or managing several trade marks as you grow.
Put simply, businesses filing after April will be paying more for the same protection they could secure for less today.
Why timing now matters
If you’re planning a rebrand, launching a new product line, or expanding into new retail channels this year, trade mark protection should already be on your checklist.
What I often see is businesses investing heavily in design, packaging, and marketing, and only considering registration once everything is live. By then, the risk (and the cost) is higher.
With fees increasing in April 2026, there is a practical advantage to reviewing planned filings now rather than waiting until launch. The same applies to renewals falling shortly after April. A simple review of dates and coverage could prevent unnecessary additional costs.
That does not mean filing everything immediately. Rushed applications without proper clearance searches or an incorrect specification selection can create long-term problems.
The aim is straightforward: protect what you are genuinely using and plan to use, but do so deliberately, not reactively.
Because in brand protection, delay is often more expensive than obtaining early advice.
The risks businesses underestimate
When we’re brought in to deal with a dispute, the issue is rarely an unavoidable one. More often, it’s something that was missed early on.
One of the most common problems is incomplete trade mark coverage. A business registers its brand for one category of goods, then gradually expands. A food manufacturer moves into online sales. A clothing brand launches accessories. A skincare company introduces a subscription model.
The trade mark hasn’t kept up.
On paper, the brand is “registered”. In practice, there are gaps. Those gaps only become apparent when a competitor files a similar trade mark or you try and challenge its use.
Another frequent issue is expansion without protection. Businesses launch sub-brands, seasonal product names, or new service offerings without checking whether they need separate registration. By the time a dispute arises, the brand is already established in the market, and changing it becomes expensive (both monetarily and reputationally).
Ownership is another underlying risk. It’s not unusual for a trade mark to be registered in a founder’s name rather than the company. That may seem harmless day-to-day, but it can complicate investment, restructuring, or sale discussions.
None of these problems are new. But higher official fees mean fixing them later will cost more than getting them right at the start.
A more complicated branding landscape
The brand environment itself is also becoming more crowded.
Digital platforms are saturated, and new product names are launched daily. The risk of accidental overlap is higher than ever.
AI tools are increasingly being used to generate brand names, logos, and marketing materials. However, those tools do not replace proper clearance checks and can cause problems themselves. A name that looks available online may still conflict with an existing registered trade mark.
For SMEs investing heavily in packaging, influencer campaigns, or retail rollouts, the financial exposure of getting this wrong is significant.
Trade mark protection requires ongoing review as the business evolves.
A practical plan for business owners
With April 2026 fast approaching, this is a sensible moment to pause and review.
Start with the basics:
• Check what trade marks are registered and in whose name.
• Review whether the classes still reflect what you actually sell.
• Look ahead at planned product launches or rebrands.
• Carry out clearance searches before committing to new names.
• Take advice before signing off on major branding spend.
It doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Often, it’s a focused review that identifies small adjustments before they become larger issues.
Trade mark protection should grow alongside the business. When it doesn’t, risk can build up in the background.
The upcoming fee rise is simply a reminder that being reactive carries a cost. Acting now can reduce both financial exposure and disruption later.