Eligible pensioners can keep away from the £180 TV licence charge altogether.
The price of a TV Licence is now £180 per yr (Picture: Getty)
Older state pensioners throughout the UK can reduce their TV Licence invoice all the way down to £0 in simply 16 minutes in the event that they meet sure standards.
The price of a TV Licence elevated by £5.50 on April 1 and now prices households £180 per yr, or £60.50 if in case you have a black and white TV set. The UK Authorities agreed that the charge for a TV Licence would enhance in keeping with inflation from April 1, 2024, for the remaining 4 years of the Constitution interval, which runs till the top of 2027, so households nonetheless face an extra April worth hike subsequent yr. In February, the Division for Tradition, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed that the Licence charge would rise in April 2026 “in keeping with inflation” as required by the 2022 Licence Price Settlement, including that the charge can even rise once more in keeping with CPI inflation in April 2027.
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Pension Credit score offers more money to individuals over State Pension age and on a low earnings and because of a 4.8% uprating on April 6, is it now value £4,300 per yr on common, based on the DWP.
Beneath the brand new 2026/27 charges, the profit tops up your weekly earnings to £238 for those who’re single, or your joint weekly earnings to £363.25 if in case you have a accomplice, nevertheless it additionally unlocks entry to different monetary assist too – together with a free TV Licence for those who’re aged 75 or over.
Claiming Pension Credit score unlocks entry to a swathe of different monetary assist, together with assist with housing prices, a Winter Gasoline Cost, a Council Tax low cost, assist with NHS dental remedy, glasses and transport prices, and free TV Licences.
Based on the DWP, it solely takes 16 minutes on common to use, and by doing so, you may unlock 1000’s of kilos value of additional monetary assist.
The DWP stated final yr: “The net declare kind – up to date by the Work and Pensions Secretary after listening to the views of pensioners– means it now takes simply 16 minutes on common to use for Pension Credit score and be eligible for as much as £4,300, with 90 % of recent prospects making use of utilizing the easy on-line kind, or over the telephone.”
In the event you already get Pension Credit score then you may apply for a free TV Licence whenever you’re 74, however you’ll have to proceed paying on your licence till the top of the month earlier than your seventy fifth birthday. After this, you will be coated by your free licence.
For individuals 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 fully.
Based on TV Licensing, you need to cancel your TV Licence for those who not watch stay on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. So for those who 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 for those who nonetheless want your TV Licence there are different methods to scale back the price.
In the event you stay in a residential care dwelling, supported housing or sheltered lodging, then you might be entitled to a lowered charge TV Licence, and for those who’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 must pay for a TV Licence on the full fee.
TV licence: A take a look at reforms made to charge in 2022
In the event 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 save cash.
TV licences are per family, not per individual, so for those who stay in a home with a number of individuals, you don’t all have to have one and will all chip in to share the price of one licence. As a substitute, you may share a TV Licence among the many complete family for those who watch TV in a single shared space, or have a joint tenancy settlement. However if in case you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your individual room, then you will want to pay on your personal.
You additionally don’t want a TV Licence to look at streaming providers, reminiscent of Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV via providers like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, movies on web sites reminiscent of YouTube, or DVDs and Blu-rays.
So for those who’re joyful 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 for those who do watch or document stay TV with no TV Licence, you then might be issued a nice of as much as £1,000.
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