The National Gallery has been accused of ‘sneakily’ hiking membership fees by up to 90 per cent as it grapples with an £8.2million deficit.
Disgruntled visitors who pay by direct debit say they have been automatically moved from a £68 annual membership to a £130 subscription – or as much as £185 with a guest option.
They have branded the move as ‘deceptive’ and a ‘sly way to bring in more revenue’, adding that what was effectively an upgrade was presented as a routine renewal.
The row comes as the London gallery looks to make significant cuts in the face of significant financial pressures in the coming year.
Last month, it emerged that staff have been told to brace for redundancies as the gallery faces a multi-million-pound financial black hole.
There are further concerns that the deficit will lead to fewer free exhibitions and ticketed shows and less international borrowing of artworks.
The changes to subscription fees are understood to be linked to the introduction of different tiers of membership at the gallery.
Visitors can pay £68 a year for an ‘Exhibition’ membership, which offers free entry to exhibitions, or £130 for a ‘House’ membership that includes access to the gallery’s new hospitality space.
Visitors look at a Vincent Van Gogh painting during an exhibition at the National Gallery in 2024
The National Gallery has been accused of ‘sneakily’ hiking membership fees by up to 90 per cent as it faces a £8.2million deficit in the coming year (stock photo)
However, some members who had previously paid the £68 fee say they were automatically placed into the higher tier when their direct debit renewals were processed.
A letter sent to one member read: ‘We want to ensure your Membership is perfectly suited to you.
‘So, to make the most of what we have to offer, you are currently set to renew as a House Member Plus Guest on 1 March, 2026.
‘Your annual subscription of £185 will be collected by Direct Debit on or within three working days of 05 March 2026.
The letter added that those wishing to continue without access to Supporters’ House could instead renew as an Exhibition Member, with memberships ‘starting from £68 annually’.
Users have reacted with fury on social media, saying the cost increases are effectively ‘buried in the text’.
One person posted on X: ‘My membership renewal letter includes a substantial increase in cost, buried in a page of text, unless I take action.
‘I consider this deceptive. Some members will be deceived and I do not think this will reflect well on the National Gallery.’
Another subscriber wrote on Reddit: ‘They are automatically upgrading members on the regular £68 tier who pay via direct debit, without clear communications.
‘It’s a very sneaky and sly way to bring in more revenue.
‘They’ve sent one email about it, which is not as clear as it should be and presents it as a ‘renewal’ rather than an upgrade.’
A third added: ‘I contacted them and cancelled – even though the last day to confirm had passed by a few days (although it was before my usual renewal).
‘They were nice to cancel. but it is a bit scummy.’
There has so far been little indication of the National Gallery’s growing deficit with last year’s financial records showing a boost due to its Van Gogh exhibition, which attracted 335,000 visitors.
However, the organisation is expecting to face a deficit of about £2million in the current financial year, which ends in March.
And according to the Art Newspaper, this is expected to grow by a further £6.2million next year to reach £8.2million if remedial action is not taken.
A spokesperson for the National Gallery told the Daily Mail: ‘For National Gallery Members renewing by Direct Debit, we automatically collect the Membership funds on a yearly basis, as per the direct debit agreement which Members opt into when they first join.
‘We recognised that the change in price this year required an increase in the number of reminders we send, therefore we offered multiple opportunities for Members to tell us if they would like a different type of Membership.
‘By inviting Members to use the Supporters’ House before renewing and sending both an email reminder (2 months prior to renewal) and a letter through the post (1 month prior to renewal), we believe we have alerted Members to the changes and given them ample opportunity through the online form, via phone, email or in person at the Gallery to choose the level of Membership which best suits them before any payment is taken.
‘If someone were to miss these multiple communications, we have processes in place to refund a Member the difference in cost and amend their level to their preferred Membership type after payment has been taken.’
Speaking of the deficit, a spokesperson previously said: ‘Due to many widely reported circumstances which are beyond our control, such as rises in operational costs and commercial pressures, we have now reached a point where we must make difficult and painful decisions.
‘To achieve sustainability, we must balance our artistic and educational mission with a new operating structure.’