new price for GRO certs

[Sloe Gin]

This bit is interesting:

If the entry applied for is on a digitised record - the system will automatically match it to the correct image. Only historic Births (1837-1934) and death records (1837-1957) have been digitised. All other events are on microfilm tapes.

[dawnsh]

More details on the D.O.V.E. (Digitisation of Vital Events) project here

http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1090.htm

Dawn

[Plummiegirl]

I agree with Mary A, having read all the entries on here.  Also I do send lots of letters as I think do many of us researching our Family Histories.  So I support our posties (and help pay my pension!!) as well.

All hobbies with few exceptions do cost some money & some are far more expensive than others. 

I spend my money on Books (reading & reference) Genealogy & music.  I do not drink nor do I smoke (just a moment while I straighten my halo). 

And while I do think the sudden price hike is steep (maybe the price rise could have been more gradual), the overall price may stop me ordering certs willy nilly, but will not stop me completely.

[onefortheroad]

I do wish people would compare like with like when comparing the service provided by GRO and that of Scotlandspeolple.

Forever quoting Scotlandspeople's charge of £1.20 and comparing it to £7.00/£9.25 as charged by GRO is giving folks the wrong impression.

For £1.20, S.p. will let you view the image online only. To obtain a certificate (copy of), the charge is £10.

That makes GRO's April price 75p cheaper!

David

[kathb]

I totally agree, why should we be charged the same as those who have not identified the full reference.  Am I missing something here?  I always thought time cost money.  If we provide the reference and the staff can go straight to the correct document surely this is faster.
Regards
Kathb

[Rah1980]

It sounds to me like we are not going to be able to view certs online for some years yet, even when the project to digitalise everything is complete the gro can not by law allow us to view these certs online - so i do wonder what the whole point is when everybody is quite capable of searching the way things are - sounds like money down the pan 

[richarde1979]

I do wish people would compare like with like when comparing the service provided by GRO and that of Scotlandspeolple.

Forever quoting Scotlandspeople's charge of £1.20 and comparing it to £7.00/£9.25 as charged by GRO is giving folks the wrong impression.

For £1.20, S.p. will let you view the image online only. To obtain a certificate (copy of), the charge is £10.

That makes GRO's April price 75p cheaper!

David

It has put a real smile on my face seeing so many people try to spin this as a positive thing.

Lets get real though.

Comparing 'Like for Like' . We are talking about information on historical certificates. Who actually needs or wants a certified copy for a family tree? (a tiny minority). We can get the info for one pound twenty in Scotland, and never need to buy the certificate, and I never hear a single complaint that anyone is unhappy with that set up. That is what we want and should have in England, 'Like for Like'.

It might take more money to set up because of the bigger population in England, true, but once the system itself is in place it would not, realisticly cost any more to run.  They have already wasted millions in poorly executed and failed projects to bring us to that point. Is it not quite likely we are paying the cost of these with these price rises?

[richarde1979]

I agree with Mary A, having read all the entries on here.  Also I do send lots of letters as I think do many of us researching our Family Histories.  So I support our posties (and help pay my pension!!) as well.

All hobbies with few exceptions do cost some money & some are far more expensive than others. 

I spend my money on Books (reading & reference) Genealogy & music.  I do not drink nor do I smoke (just a moment while I straighten my halo). 

And while I do think the sudden price hike is steep (maybe the price rise could have been more gradual), the overall price may stop me ordering certs willy nilly, but will not stop me completely.

This is exactly the point though, we already budgeting ourselves in England, now you'll be buying less, I'll be buying less. Where we may each have bought two certs at a time, 28 pounds worth, you will likely buy one, I'll personally buy none. So their revenue drops from 28 pounds to 9.25.  If that is the general pattern in the wake of these price rises, they'll make just a third of the money next year, and okay the drop in orders will drop overheads, but will it actually do so by two thirds?   A department that is losing over six million a year is now going to see a massive further drop in its revenue.....not good. Rather than put them back in black, I think they'll make huge further losses, and the taxpayer will end up paying for this in any case.

[onefortheroad]

Richarde. I really do think you should sort your maths out (2x9.25=28 ?) before deciding that there's only a 'tiny minority' wanting the certified copies. Speak for yourself and put things in perspective:

The money it would cost to put all their records online as per GROS would be huge and then compound it with a reduction in prices? Where will they recoup their investment? This doesn't add up either!

David