‘Do I really want a TV licence?’ The best way to examine earlier than the charge rises

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra The TV licence charge is about to rise to £180 a yr from 1 April 2026, the UK authorities has introduced, making it costlier than most month-to-month subscriptions to Netflix and Disney+.

An annual color TV licence will rise by £5.50 from £174.50, a 3.15 per cent enhance consistent with the Client Costs Index (CPI) measure of inflation. In the meantime, the annual value of a black and white TV licence will rise by £2 from £58.50 to £60.50.

The Division for Digital, Tradition, Media and Sport say the worth hike will “present the BBC with steady monetary footing to ship for audiences and assist the broader inventive industries”.

The TV licence charge is about by the federal government, which has dedicated to growing it consistent with CPI inflation yearly from April 2024 till the top of 2027, so we will anticipate one other rise subsequent April.

Final month, it was reported that the BBC was investigating the way it may use iPlayer to search out out which households had not paid for a TV licence. This might contain hundreds of thousands of BBC accounts being linked with family addresses for the primary time.

Not everybody wants a TV licence, and a few persons are eligible for exemptions and reductions, so it’s price checking if you happen to may save earlier than the worth enhance. Right here’s what you must know.

Do I want a TV licence?

You want a TV licence if you happen to watch or report dwell TV or BBC iPlayer, however you don’t want it for different streaming providers like Netflix, Disney+ and ITVX.

One licence covers a complete family, even if you happen to watch dwell TV or iPlayer on a number of units, so there’s no want to purchase a licence in case your housemate or member of the family already has one. Equally, if you happen to’re transferring right into a home that already has an energetic licence, you’ll be coated till it expires.

If you have already got a TV licence, and also you’re realising you not want it, you could possibly get a refund, supplied that you simply gained’t want it once more earlier than it expires and there’s at the very least a month left on it. You may apply for a refund utilizing this type on the TV Licensing web site.

Get a free fractional share price as much as £100.Capital in danger.

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Get a free fractional share price as much as £100.Capital in danger.

Phrases and situations apply.

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Over 75? It's possible you'll be eligible for a free TV licence by Pension Credit score

You will get a free TV licence if you happen to’re aged 75 or over and obtain Pension Credit score, a profit for these low-income pensioners. This licence will even cowl anybody you reside with, no matter their age.

A free TV licence is certainly one of many advantages you’ll get with Pension Credit score. Your revenue will get topped as much as £227.10 if you happen to’re single or £346.60 if you happen to’re partnered, and you would get a council tax discount of as much as 100 per cent.

Practically one million Brits are lacking out, so it’s effectively price checking if you happen to’re eligible at Gov.uk. When you’re accepted, you possibly can apply for a free TV licence.

College students might not want a TV licence

Should you’re a pupil, and your father or mother or guardian has a TV licence, chances are you'll not have to pay for one.

The rule is, if somebody at your out-of-term deal with has a TV licence, you possibly can watch dwell TV or iPlayer on units which are powered by their very own inner battery and that aren’t plugged into the mains. A laptop computer, pill or cellphone is allowed, however a TV, desktop laptop or a laptop computer, cellphone or pill which are on cost are surprisingly forbidden.

To summarise, you possibly can adjust to the principles as a pupil by ensuring somebody at your out-of-term deal with has paid their licensing charge and charging up your handheld machine earlier than you watch dwell TV or iPlayer.

Blind individuals can apply for a reduced licence

In case you are blind (severely sight impaired) or dwell with a blind particular person, you will get a TV licence for 50 per cent off, which might be £90 for a color licence. You may apply on your discounted licence on the TV Licensing web site.