From April 1, 2026, TV Licence prices will increase from £174.50
TV Licences are generally mandatory for anyone who watches BBC iPlayer or live TV, including events shown on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. However, some people may be eligible for a refund, provided they meet certain criteria.
According to official TV licensing guidance, you may generally apply for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires and there’s at least one month left on it. The rules differ for those on a blind person’s concession, who can apply for a refund at any time and for any length that’s left on a licence.
“You can apply for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires, and you have at least one complete month left on it,” the guidance states.
“If you’re eligible for a blind concession, you can apply for a refund at any time and for any length of time left on your licence. You can apply for a refund up to 14 days before the date you no longer need the TV Licence.”
The standard fee for a TV Licence increased by 2.9% from April 1, 2025, in line with the annual CPI inflation. This resulted in a daily rise of just over 1p, marking the second fee increase since April 1, 2021.
However, on April 1 2026, the TV Licence fee is set to rise again. This will take standard-coloured TV Licences from £174.50 per year to £180, equivalent to an extra 46p a month.
Speaking on its announcement this month, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport explained: “The increase in the cost of the TV licence will help keep the BBC on a stable financial footing, enabling it to continue to deliver on its Mission and Public Purposes.
“The BBC is the UK’s number one media brand, with 94% of UK adults using the BBC each month last year and it remains the UK’s most widely used and trusted news outlet.
“The government recognises the financial pressures on households and is committed to ensuring the BBC’s funding model is sustainable, fair and affordable. The government has committed to the licence fee for the remainder of this Charter Period.
“To support the public with the cost of the TV licence, we will also continue to support the Simple Payment Plan to spread payments through smaller instalments.”
Free licences remain available for those aged 75 or over on Pension Credit, along with discounted fees for care home residents and blind people. You can find out more about this at GOV.UK here.
What does a TV Licence include?
Your payment encompasses four main elements. These include:
- All TV channels – like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels
- Pay TV services – like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- Live TV on streaming services – like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video
- Everything on BBC iPlayer
This covers watching, recording, and downloading on any device. For more information on TV Licences, click here.
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