Since 1 April 2026, the UK Intellectual Property Office has raised official fees across patents, trade marks and designs, with the IPO describing the overall increase as averaging about 25%. The online fee for a UK trade mark application has moved from £170 to £205, while the patent search fee has risen from £150 to £200. This week the IPO also continued its transition messaging through fresh One IPO roadmap updates. The more consequential trade mark development, however, is that the government has confirmed the removal of the series marks service, while allowing existing registrations to remain on the register.
That change matters more than the loss of a peculiarly British filing convenience. Consultation materials and the government response point to repeated misunderstanding of the series mechanism, high objection rates for unrepresented filers, and concern that some applicants were using it to obtain multiple examinations at reduced cost. UK trade mark practice is therefore moving closer to the international norm of separate applications for distinct variants. Brand owners that used to bundle minor logo, layout or word-mark variations into one filing now need a sharper plan on which versions truly merit standalone protection.
