You could be eligible for 50% or 100% low cost in your TV licence – examine right here

Jun 03, 2023 at 7:46 AM

While dwelling prices stay excessive, Britons are being urged to examine in the event that they’re claiming the entire monetary assist they’re eligible for – and the TV licence is one are sure teams could make a saving.

Currently priced at £159 a 12 months, TV licence prices can add sizeable strain to family funds relying on the way it’s paid.

It’s a authorized requirement that households personal one in the event that they watch stay TV. This contains all programmes on any channel and the identical guidelines apply to those that watch stay TV from a laptop computer, PC, pill, or telephone.

A licence can be wanted if a family downloads or watches programmes broadcast on BBC iPlayer – stay, catch up, or on demand. Failing to pay for a TV licence when it’s wanted is a felony offence and fines fluctuate from lots of to hundreds relying on location.

However, if situations are met, individuals can declare reductions starting from 50 % to one hundred pc, which will help make a big saving.

These reductions can be found to people who find themselves severely blind, aged over 75 years outdated that obtain Pension Credit, in addition to those that reside in care properties. The quantity of low cost an individual receives will depend on which group the particular person falls into.

Who is entitled to a 50 % low cost?

People can declare a blind concession TV licence if they’re blind (severely sight impaired), or stay with somebody who’s blind.

The blind concession licence reduces the annual payment from £159 to £79.50 for a color TV licence and £26.75 for a black and white TV licence.

To declare, individuals should present not less than one of many following paperwork to verify they’re licensed as blind:

A CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment)
A BD8 Certificate
A certificates or doc issued by a neighborhood authority that exhibits they’re registered as blind (severely sight impaired)
A duplicate of a certificates from an ophthalmologist (eye surgeon), stating that they’re blind (severely sight impaired).

People who stay with somebody who’s blind and already has a TV licence should switch the licence into the identify of the one who is blind, to be able to declare.

However, those that are partially sight impaired is not going to qualify for a reduction.

Who is entitled to a free TV licence?

TV licence holders who’re 75 years or older they usually, or their companion dwelling on the identical handle, obtain Pension Credit, could possibly be entitled to a full low cost on the value.

Pension Credit is a profit that tops up the state pension for individuals on a low earnings to not less than £201.05 per week for single individuals and £306.85 for {couples}. Savings Credit now pays as much as £15.94 further per week for single individuals or £17.84 per week for {couples}.

People who’re 75 or over and stay in a residential care dwelling could also be lined by an ARC (Accommodation for Residential Care) TV licence and in addition received’t need to pay for a licence – even when they don’t obtain Pension Credit. TV Licencing advises individuals to talk to their care dwelling administrator to search out out.

When do individuals not want a TV licence?

People is not going to want a licence in the event that they solely ever watch catch-up TV (not together with BBC) or streaming companies like Netflix or Disney+.

Therefore, even when persons are not eligible for a reduced licence, they may make a saving by cancelling theirs in the event that they by no means watch – and don’t have entry to – stay TV or BBC iplayer.

How to cancel a TV licence

People who must cancel their TV licence can achieve this by filling out a cancellation request form.

Tv Licensing might then pay a go to to examine if the family is appropriate to have cancelled – it says these inspections discover one in 5 households do find yourself needing one.