Telly lovers may able to get a £159 refund on their TV licence – but only if you meet certain criteria.
Utilities costs can really add up, so it's worth checking if you really need one during the cost of living crisis. If you mainly watch Netflix, Disney+, and catch-up services (excluding BBC iPlayer), consider cancelling your payment completely.
A full TV licence currently costs £159, which could be a big saving for those who can claim it back. So with that being said, here's Express' quick guide to the rules for discounts, as well as how to cancel and request a refund.
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Who is entitled to a TV licence discount?
There are a few groups that could be eligible for a TV licence discount, and these include those who are severely blind, those over 75 years old who receive Pension Credit, and those residing in care homes.
People who are blind (severely sight impaired), or live with someone who is blind, could be entitled to a blind concession TV licence worth 50 percent less. This reduces the annual fee from £159 to £79.50 for a colour TV licence and £26.75 for a black and white TV licence.
A full TV licence currently costs £159. However, if you're 75 or older and receive Pension Credit, or live in a residential care home, you might be eligible for a free TV Licence. If you won't need your licence again before it expires and have at least one complete month left on it, you can request a refund. The TV Licencing website states that you have up to 14 days before the date you no longer need the TV Licence to apply for the refund.
If your TV licence has already expired, you can still apply for a refund within two years of the expiry date. You'll need to fill out a form and might have to provide evidence that you no longer need the licence.
After you've filled in the form, the TV licensing company will let you know if you can get some money back and how much it'll be. They usually work this out by the month and pay you by cheque or straight into your bank account.
You can see when your licence runs out by logging into your account with your licence number, name, and postcode. Even if you can't get a refund, you can still cancel your licence online if you don't need it any more.
How to cancel a TV licence
If you're sure you don't need a TV licence anymore, you can tell TV Licensing by filling out the refund and cancellation request form.
TV Licensing might then pop round to your home to check if you've made the right decision. They say that one in five households they inspect do end up needing a licence.
If a licence is needed, the household will have to pay the full fee. If the inspectors find the household has been watching, recording or streaming programmes illegally, they may risk prosecution and a fine.
The fine varies depending on location and can see people in the UK mainland hit with a maximum penalty of £1,000, while those in Guernsey could face fines of up to £2,000.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up Daily Star's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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