Eligible DWP claimants can unlock entry to a free perk.
Claiming Pension Credit score can unlock entry to free TV licences (Picture: Getty)
A Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) profit can reduce BBC TV licence payments all the way down to £0 for state pensioners who meet sure standards.
A TV licence now prices £180 per 12 months following a £5.50 enhance on April 1, or 60.50 yearly when you have a black and white TV set. An extra worth hike is because of comply with in April 2027, because the UK authorities determined the TV licence charge would enhance with inflation for the remaining years of the Constitution interval, which runs till the tip of 2027. This 12 months, the licence charge has gone up consistent with inflation as required by the 2022 Licence Price Settlement and it’ll rise once more consistent with CPI inflation in April subsequent 12 months.
We use your sign-up to supply content material in methods you’ve got consented to and to enhance our understanding of you. This will likely embrace adverts from us and third events primarily based on our understanding. You possibly can unsubscribe at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
Households want a TV licence to observe or file programmes on a TV, laptop, or different system on any channel or service as they’re broadcast – together with on-demand BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer. However eligible pensioners can keep away from the licence charge altogether, successfully chopping payments all the way down to £0 thanks to at least one DWP profit: Pension Credit score.
Pension Credit score offers extra cash to state pensioners on a low revenue and because of a 4.8% rise on April 6, the profit is now value a mean of £4,300 per 12 months.
Below the brand new April 2026/27 charges, single claimants can prime up their revenue to £238 per week, or their joint weekly revenue to £363.25 per week when you have a accomplice.
However claiming Pension Credit score additionally unlocks entry to an array of further monetary assist, together with a free TV licence if you happen to’re aged 75 or over.
Commenting on the Pension Credit score uplift this month, the DWP stated: “Pension Credit score will even rise by 4.8% and be value a mean of £4,300 a 12 months, unlocking additional assist together with assist with housing prices, council tax and free tv licenses. Between 2026 and 2027, the federal government will present a £6 billion enhance to spending on State Pensions and pensioner advantages.”
Based on the DWP, it takes simply 16 minutes on common to use for Pension Credit score and if you happen to’re eligible, the profit can provide you entry to 1000’s of kilos value of additional assist.
In case you already get Pension Credit score then you may apply for a free TV Licence while you’re 74, however you’ll have to proceed paying in your licence till the tip of the month earlier than your seventy fifth birthday. After this, you may be coated by your free licence.
For individuals who don’t meet the eligibility standards for Pension Credit score, there are different methods to cut back your TV Licence invoice, or keep away from the charge totally.
Based on TV Licensing, it is best to cancel your TV Licence if you happen to now not watch dwell on any channel, TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. So if you happen to 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 companies, like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- watching dwell TV on streaming companies, like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.
- utilizing BBC iPlayer
This consists of recording and downloading programmes on any system. However if you happen to nonetheless want your TV Licence there are different methods to cut back the price.
In case you dwell in a residential care residence, supported housing or sheltered lodging, then you might be entitled to a decreased charge TV Licence, and if you happen to’re blind (severely sight impaired) and may present the suitable proof, you may apply for a 50% low cost in your TV Licence. But when neither of those apply then you definately’ll should pay for a TV Licence on the full price.
In case you don’t meet the eligibility standards for Pension Credit score or qualify for a decreased charge TV Licence, then there are nonetheless a number of choices to save cash.
TV licences are per family, not per individual, so if you happen to dwell 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 entire family if you happen to 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 will have to pay in your personal.
You additionally don’t want a TV Licence to observe streaming companies, equivalent to Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV via companies like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, movies on web sites equivalent to YouTube, or DVDs and Blu-rays.
So if you happen to’re comfortable to only follow watching any of those, and never watch or file any dwell TV or BBC iPlayer, it can save you your self £174.50. However if you happen to do watch or file dwell TV and not using a TV Licence, then you definately will be issued a positive of as much as £1,000.
Leave a Reply