The cost of an annual TV licence in the UK will increase for the first time in two years in less than a week.
Following a freeze on the fee, the Government will increase it by 6.6 per cent to keep up with inflation.
As a result, most Britons will pay up to £10.50 extra as of Monday, April 1.
Households require only one TV licence. Even people who stream television footage from their laptops or watch from student halls must pay the annual fee.
Certain discounts are available, including people aged 75 and over who claim pension credit or people who are blind.
The price hike comes after the BBC director-general Tim Davie said on Tuesday the corporation planned to explore reforming the TV licence fee.
He said it was “right to ask fundamental questions about its longevity” and investigate how to enforce the fee.
The TV Licensing website says the number of TV licences has steadily declined since 2022. Between April 2022 and March 2023, almost 395,520 licences were lost — even though most of the nation owns a TV.
Some have also argued that the fee is controversial because the country’s poorest households must pay the same as wealthy homes.
Here’s everything you need to know about the TV licence, including if you need one, how to apply, and how much it costs.
In the UK, a TV licence is a legal requirement for anyone who watches or records live television broadcasts or uses BBC iPlayer, regardless of the device (such as a TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone). It's essentially a permit that allows you to consume live television content and access BBC programming online.
Here's a breakdown of what a TV licence permits you to do and how it works:
You can sign up online at the TV Licensing website here by typing in your postcode. You can then type in your address and either register or renew a licence that may have previously been set up at your property.
A TV licence costs £159 a year, but the annual fee is set to rise to £169.50 from April 1 or around 3p extra a day.
You can spread the cost with a direct debit or pay by debit/credit card or bank transfer.
You may not need to pay anything if you’re eligible for pension credit. You can find out more about how to claim this here.
About 880,000 people are thought to be missing out on this benefit and are being urged to act.
Those in residential care homes or sheltered accommodation can also apply for reduced fees, while people with severe sight impairment get a 50 per cent concession.
TV Licensing officials can visit your house to check whether you need a licence — and Money Supermarket says such inspections often find one in five households do.
You'll need to pay the full fee if you need a licence. You could risk prosecution, plus a fine of up to £1,000, or up to £2,000 in Guernsey, if you’re caught watching TV without one.
Also, while you cannot be imprisoned for TV licence evasion, you can be jailed for non-payment of a fine imposed by a court.
Here's what could happen if you're caught without a licence:
You need a licence if you watch live television or use BBC iPlayer.
For example, you don't need a licence for on-demand content such as Netflix or Prime Video, but you do if you watch live sports or pay extra for one of its live add-ons.
Here are the steps you can take to cancel your licence:
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2023-11-01T15:48:54Z dg43tfdfdgfd