State pensioners can keep away from the TV licence charge, which is because of enhance once more from April.
A TV Licence at the moment prices £174.50 (Picture: Getty)
OBut there are methods to scale back the licence price, and for older state pensioners aged 75 and over, and on a low earnings, it is attainable to keep away from the charge altogether, reducing prices all the way down to £0 just by claiming one DWP profit: Pension Credit score.lder state pensioners within the UK can lower their TV Licence invoice all the way down to £0 in simply 16 minutes in the event that they meet sure standards.
At present, a TV Licence prices £174.50 per yr (or £58.50 for black and white TV units) following a £5 worth hike in April final yr, including an additional 42p per thirty days to family payments. The UK authorities determined that the TV Licence charge would enhance according to inflation from April 1, 2024, for the remaining 4 years of the Constitution interval, which runs till the tip of 2027, which means households face a minimum of two extra years of worth hikes in April. The Division for Tradition, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed in February that the charge will rise by £5.50 from April 1, which means the annual price will go as much as £180 per yr, or £60.50 for black and white units for the 2026/27 tax yr. The DCMS stated the price is rising “according to inflation” as required by the 2022 Licence Price Settlement, including that the charge may even rise once more according to CPI inflation in April 2027.
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Pension Credit score offers extra cash to individuals over State Pension age and on a low earnings, and is value greater than £3,900 per yr on common, based on the federal government.
The profit tops up your weekly earnings to £227.10 in case you’re single, or your joint weekly earnings to £346.60 when you have a accomplice, but it surely additionally unlocks entry to different monetary help too – together with a free TV Licence.
Pension Credit score acts as a gateway profit to a swathe of different monetary assist for pensioners, together with entry to issues like Housing Profit, a Winter Gas Cost, a Council Tax low cost, assist with NHS dental therapy, glasses and transport prices, and a free TV Licence in case you’re aged 75 or over.
Based on the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP), it solely takes 16 minutes on common to use, and by doing so, you may unlock hundreds of kilos value of additional monetary help.
When you already get Pension Credit score then you may apply for a free TV Licence whenever you’re 74, however you’ll must proceed paying to your licence till the tip of the month earlier than your seventy fifth birthday. After this, you will be lined by your free licence.
For many who don’t meet the eligibility standards for Pension Credit score, there are different methods to scale back your TV Licence invoice, or keep away from the charge solely.
Based on TV Licensing, you must cancel your TV Licence in case you not watch stay on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. So in case you fall into this class, you may cancel your licence and could also be eligible for a refund if, earlier than your licence expires, you received’t be doing any of the next:
- watching TV on any channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and worldwide channels
- watching TV on pay TV providers, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- watching stay TV on streaming providers, like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
- utilizing BBC iPlayer
This consists of recording and downloading programmes on any gadget. However in case you nonetheless want your TV Licence there are different methods to scale back the price.
When you stay in a residential care dwelling, supported housing or sheltered lodging, then you could be entitled to a lowered charge TV Licence, and in case you’re blind (severely sight impaired) and might present the suitable proof, you may apply for a 50% low cost in your TV Licence. But when neither of those apply you then’ll should pay for a TV Licence on the full fee.
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When you don’t meet the eligibility standards for Pension Credit score or qualify for a lowered charge TV Licence, then there are nonetheless just a few choices to economize.
TV Licences are per family, not per individual, so in case you stay in a home with a number of individuals, you don’t all must have one and will all chip in to share the price of one licence. As an alternative, you may share a TV Licence among the many entire family in case you watch TV in a single shared space, or have a joint tenancy settlement. However when you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your personal room, then you have to to pay to your personal.
You additionally don’t want a TV Licence to observe streaming providers, similar to Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV by way of providers like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, movies on web sites similar to YouTube, or DVDs and Blu-rays.
So in case you’re comfortable to only keep on with watching any of those, and never watch or document any stay TV or BBC iPlayer, it can save you your self £174.50. However in case you do watch or document stay TV with out a TV Licence, you then might be issued a wonderful of as much as £1,000.
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