Understanding the Wildlife Licence Charges (England) Order 2025

The UK government is making changes to the way wildlife licence charges work in England, and here's what you need to know.

What’s Happening?

The Wildlife Licence Charges (England) Order 2025 updates the previous 2018 rules regarding fees for wildlife licences. These licences are necessary for activities that might otherwise harm protected wildlife species or their habitats.

Why the Change?

Natural England (NE), the body responsible for managing these licences, found that the fees set in 2018 weren't covering the costs of running the service, mainly due to inflation. This under-recovery of costs prevents NE from improving its services. The new order aims to fix this by adjusting fees to ensure NE can fully cover its expenses and improve its services, such as digitizing the application process.

What’s New?

• Fee Adjustments: The order revises existing charges to better match NE’s costs.
• New Charges: It introduces fees for a new bat recognition class licence, which allows qualified ecologists to perform specific mitigation work on bat roosts.
• More Options: The changes also offer more choices for licence applicants, with different routes available based on their needs.

Who’s Affected?

The changes apply to England, and they’ll impact small businesses, particularly those involved in development activities. However, measures are in place to minimize the impact on them, such as reduced fees for certain licences and exemptions for some projects.

What About Public Consultation?

NE conducted a public consultation earlier this year, receiving mixed responses. They took feedback into account, particularly concerns over the new bat licence charges, and adjusted the fees accordingly.

Financial Impact

The changes are designed to have minimal financial impact on businesses, charities, or voluntary bodies. The costs can often be transferred to the end-user, aligning with the “polluter pays” principle.

Monitoring and Future Adjustments

NE will keep an eye on the income from these fees compared to costs, ensuring they remain balanced. Adjustments may be made in the future if necessary.

In summary, these changes aim to ensure that wildlife licences are managed efficiently and sustainably, maintaining a balance between conservation needs and societal activities. For more detailed information, NE will be updating guidance documents and communicating changes directly to stakeholders.