ACS has welcomed the Home Office’s simplified personal licence renewal application process for retailers prior to the implementation of the Deregulation Bill in early 2015. On Friday (28th November), the Home Office confirmed that they would be simplifying the renewal procedure for licensees who need to renew their personal licences between now and early 2015.
ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “For retailers who have to renew their personal licences in early 2015 it will be a great relief to see the publication of the simplified process for personal licencing renewals. This process will ensure that retailers can renew their personal licence without having to go through the full application process. As soon as the Deregulation Bill passes through Parliament there will be no requirement for personal licences to be renewed every 10 years.
“This has been a frustrating and messy process, but at least we now have clarity on what retailers need to do, and none of the costs of CRB checks and application fees that would have caused huge problems for retailers. We are pleased to have engaged with the Home Office on this issue and it is good that they have listened.”
As part of the Deregulation Bill, the Government committed to scrapping the need for personal licences to be renewed every 10 years. Licensees that need to renew their licence in early 2015 were at risk of having to fully renew their licence as the Deregulation Bill will not have passed through Parliament in time.
Under the new procedures, if a personal licence expires in early 2015, the licence holder will have to complete a simplified application form and submit it with their existing licence to their licensing authority via post or e-mail – the new application form will be available soon on the www.gov.uk website. There will not be a charge for this process, unless there is a change in existing licensing details, such as name, address or personal identification photograph, in which case, there will be a charge of £10.50. The licensing authority will then send an acknowledgement of the receipt of the application back to the licence holder.
Licensees can apply to renew their licence up to three months before their personal licence expires and no less than one month before the expiry date.
The Home Office’s fact sheet on the new personal licence procedure can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-arrangements-for-personal-licences-due-for-renewal-in-2015
If you would like more information please contact Julie Byers or Edward Woodall from the Public Affairs Team on 01252 515 001 or e-mail [email protected].
