Efficiency drive leads to registration fee cut

Regulator the General Optical Council (GOC) has announced a £10 reduction in registration fees for 2012-13.

Optometrists, dispensing opticians and businesses will now pay £260 for the retention year and the fee for low income earners, introduced in 2011 has also been cut by £10 to £160. Student fees remained unchanged at £20.

The cuts were agreed in a private consultation after the Council's final quarterly meeting for 2011. The GOC claimed its fees had decreased in real terms by 32 per cent since 2010, despite expectations of a fee increase in 2012.

Chief executive and registrar Samantha Peters said the Council was looking to apply 'downward pressure' on fees in the future and 'the reduction in fees for next year was a sign of our ongoing commitment to increasing our efficiency as a regulator while ensuring public protection.'