Thousands of struggling Brits grappling with the wrath of ‘Awful April’ have been urged to make one simple phone call that could wipe their £174.50 BBC TV Licence fee down to zero
A quick call could save thousands of cash-strapped Brits a staggering £174.50 a year. ‘Awful April’ has seen a slew of household bills – including Council Tax, Road Tax, and energy cost – drastically rise, with the average person now £360 worse off.
The TV Licence fee, which is currently mandatory for anyone who records or watches live TV, as well as people who access content on BBC iPlayer, also rose by £5 this month. Those found watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a licence could end up with a fine of up to £1,000 (or £2,000 if you live in Guernsey).
As previously reported, you technically cannot be jailed just because you haven’t paid your TV Licence. However, fee dodgers do risk imprisonment for not paying fines that have been imposed by the court.
Per Birmingham Live, if you’re aged 74 or older and you or your partner receive Pension Credit, you can actually apply for a free TV Licence. This covers everyone who lives with you at the same address.
You can apply for the subsidised fee online but will need to provide proof of your age. This can be in the form of a passport copy, UK driver’s licence, UK birth certificate, or EU/EEA national identity card. You’ll also need proof that you’re in receipt of Pension Credit and your current TV Licence number.
“If you think you’re eligible for a free licence but can’t apply online, please call 0300 790 6117 and speak to one of our advisors to request an application form (our lines are open between 8.30am and 6.30pm, from Monday to Friday),” TV Licensing said. “Once we’ve received your application it may take a few weeks to process. If there are any problems we’ll write to let you know. We may also call you if you have given us your phone number.”
Earlier this year, it was revealed that there were a whopping 425,000 people over the age of 75 whose income levels meant they qualify for Pension Credit – who had yet applied for the benefit. The BBC later faced calls to start automatically enrolling those who are eligible for a free TV Licence – rather than making them apply for the discount.
Back in February, the BBC didn’t explicitly answer if it was considering such a measure. A spokesperson for TV Licensing told the Mirror: “Anyone aged 75 and over who receives Pension Credit can apply for a free TV Licence and we would urge anyone who has not yet applied to do so. In 2023/24 around 775,000 free licences for over 75s were funded by the BBC and more information about the application process can be found on the TV Licensing website or via our customer service team.”
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Following a staggering £80 million drop in revenue from swathes of households cancelling their subscription, the BBC has been discussing alternative methods to fund itself. Last month, the broadcaster’s chairman Samir Shah hinted the fee could become part of a household bill – like council tax.
“Why should people who are poor pay the same as people in wealthy households?” he said, implying a ‘sliding scale’ could be soon implemented. “It gets rid of the enforcement issue, which is a problem. The idea that not paying the licence fee is a criminal offence seems too harsh.”
Samir quashed ideas of creating a Netflix-style subscription fee, and dismissed the concept of a hybrid licence, where Brits could pay a smaller fee for basic TV services such as the news, but would then be charged a higher amount to access content such as entertainment. It appears advertisements are also not on the table, due to the BBC wanting to stay ‘independent of commercial interests’.
Is the TV Licence fee good value for money? Have your say in the comments section below
