You can get several letters from TV Licensing
TV Licensing has released a statement regarding the penalties people may face for failing to pay their TV licence. The current annual fee stands at £174.50, which is required to watch live or on-demand television programmes.
This is anticipated to rise to approximately £180 from April 2026, as it rises in line with inflation. During a recent appearance before MPs, Sian Williams, chair of the Financial Inclusion Commission, raised concerns that people frequently receive “threatening” letters about the consequences of non-payment. Ms Williams said that people often receive multiple letters containing such intimidating language.
She said: “There’s a whole narrative there that the state is not held to the same standards that the FCA holds the industry to.” Her remarks came as she spoke to the Treasury Committee about financial inclusion. She urged policymakers to “look again at the way the state talks to citizens around money that it is owed”.
TV Licensing was asked about the sort of letters it sends out over people not having a TV licence when they should. A TV Licensing spokesperson responded: “The maximum sentence a court can impose for the offence of licence fee evasion is a fine of up to £1000, and we make this clear in our customer communications.”
The organisation emphasised that court action over an unpaid licence is always a “last resort” and that its main focus is ensuring people have the appropriate licence in place. Nevertheless, the organisation is obliged to collect the licence fee and will contact properties where no TV Licence record exists or where current licensing requirements “are unknown”.
TV Licensing said: “This activity is part of our ongoing efforts to maximise licence fee collection from those that require a licence, and minimise evasion.” This correspondence will explain what a licence covers and offer information on payment methods.
Should there be no reply, either through purchasing a licence or submitting a ‘no licence needed’ declaration, the organisation sends out further letters. These will contain warnings about the possible ramifications of failing to get a licence.
The organisation also noted: “TV Licensing communicates with customers via letters, email, directly during calls made to our customer service line, and as part of our communications campaigns and social media output.”
That said, certain people can obtain their TV licence at no cost. Those claiming Pension Credit who are 75 or older qualify for a free TV licence. It’s worth checking whether you’re eligible for this state pension age benefit, which provides on average £4,300 annually in additional support.
The benefit includes a supplement to your weekly income, raising it to £227.10 per week for single claimants or £346.60 per week for couples. Additional amounts may be available on top of the income top-up, depending on your circumstances, such as if you have a severe disability or you care for another adult.
