The TV licence fee is set by the Government and it normally rises every April, in line with the previous September rate of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation
The cost of a TV licence looks set to rise above £180 next year, in a new cost of living blow for millions of households.
The TV licence fee is set by the Government and it normally rises every April. It typically increases in line with the previous September rate of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation.
This year, the September rate of inflation was confirmed to be 3.8%. It currently costs £174.50 a year to have a TV licence, which means if it goes up by 3.8% next April, the new fee for a colour licence would be just over £181.
The exact increase has not yet been confirmed by the Government. Around 300,000 households stopped paying their TV licence fee last year.
You need a TV licence to legally watch live TV or anything, whether it is on catch-up or live, or BBC iPlayer. You don’t need a TV licence if you only watch shows on catch-up using streaming services that aren’t BBC iPlayer.
This includes Netflix, Amazon Prime, ITVX, Disney Plus, YouTube, All 4 or My5 – then you don’t need a TV licence. However, you would need a TV licence if you’re tuning into live shows through these services.
There are some people that are entitled to a free or reduced price TV licence. If you are over the age of 75 and you claim Pension Credit, then you don’t need to pay for a TV licence.
How much money you could be owed back depends on how long is left on your existing TV licence.
However, if you don’t need your TV licence anymore before it expires, then you could be entitled to a refund. For example, you may not need a TV licence anymore if you’re moving to an address that already has a TV licence.
If you live in residential care or sheltered accommodation, then you may be eligible for a concessionary TV licence which currently costs £7.50 per room, flat or bungalow.
If someone in your household is blind or severely sight-impaired, then you will be entitled to a 50% discount off the cost of your TV licence.
Students who are living away from home may also be covered if their parents have a TV licence, but only if they’re watching TV on a device that isn’t plugged into the mains, such as a phone, tablet or laptop.
If you’re caught watching TV programmes that require a TV licence, then you could be fined up to £1,000. The maximum fine is £2,000 in Guernsey, plus any legal costs or compensation you may be ordered to pay.
