TV Licence discounts: check whether you could pay less
Check over-75 Pension Credit, blind and residential-care TV Licence concessions, current fees and the difference between a discount and instalments.
Quick answer
A standard colour TV Licence costs £180 from 1 April 2026. People aged 75 or over receiving Pension Credit, or living with a partner who receives it, can apply for a free licence. A qualifying blind concession halves the colour fee to £90. Other concessions have separate rules; age alone does not make a licence free.
UK TV Licence guide checked 25 October 2026. This focuses on household concessions and the current annual colour fee, not every shared-accommodation or business-licensing arrangement. Apply through TV Licensing and confirm the licence covers the people and address concerned.
First check whether the household needs a licence
TV Licensing says a licence is needed for live TV on channels, pay-TV and streaming services, and for BBC iPlayer use, subject to its stated exception for S4C programmes on demand. Paying for Netflix, Sky or another subscription does not itself replace a TV Licence where the viewing requires one.
Watching only on-demand content outside BBC iPlayer can have a different result. For example, ordinary on-demand YouTube clips differ from watching a TV channel live on YouTube. Check the actual viewing across the household rather than assuming that using a phone or avoiding BBC channels removes the requirement.
Compare the annual colour-licence cost
The government confirmed the standard colour fee of £180 from 1 April 2026. TV Licensing lists £90 for the qualifying blind concession. The over-75 free-licence route requires Pension Credit, not simply reaching a birthday.
The £7.50 residential-care arrangement is for qualifying accommodation and eligible residents. Ask the manager to check the scheme; it is not the standard fee for every retired person living in sheltered housing.
| Position | Annual colour cost | Difference from £180 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard licence | £180 | £0 |
| Qualifying blind concession | £90 | £90 |
| Qualifying free over-75 licence | £0 | £180 |
| Eligible residential-care concession | £7.50 | £172.50 |
Sources: Government: 2026/27 licence fee; TV Licensing: current fees and blind colour fee; GOV.UK: free, blind and residential-care concessions
Over 75: Pension Credit and the application matter
The free licence can cover everyone at the address when the licence holder meets the age and Pension Credit conditions, including where the qualifying Pension Credit is the co-resident partner’s. You can apply from age 74 if already receiving Pension Credit, but must keep paying until the end of the month before the 75th birthday.
TV Licensing says a paid licence does not automatically become free at 75. It also says not to cancel the Direct Debit yourself: it will cancel it when processing an eligible application. Any due refund for remaining months is considered as part of that application.
Sources: GOV.UK: free, blind and residential-care concessions; TV Licensing: over-75 application, Direct Debit and refund
Blind concession and care-home route
The blind concession is for people who are blind or severely sight impaired, not every form of sight difficulty. The licence needs to be in the qualifying person’s name; the government guide explains transferring an existing household licence where necessary.
For the residential-care scheme, eligible residents must be disabled or retired and over 60, and the accommodation must qualify. The housing manager checks and applies. A disability benefit or low income alone is not a general 50% TV Licence discount.
Sources: GOV.UK: free, blind and residential-care concessions; TV Licensing: concession categories
A payment plan changes timing, not necessarily the fee
Spreading payments can help cash flow but is different from a concession. The Simple Payment Plan offers specified monthly or fortnightly arrangements; confirm the actual schedule and any discount entitlement with TV Licensing.
At £180 annually, the arithmetic monthly equivalent is £15. A £90 annual concession is £7.50 per month on the same basis. Do not assume a real Direct Debit must collect these exact amounts each month, or treat a refundable overpayment as a second full-year saving.
| Annual cost | Monthly equivalent | Annual saving versus standard |
|---|---|---|
| £180.00 | £15.00 | £0.00 |
| £90.00 | £7.50 | £90.00 |
| £0.00 | £0.00 | £180.00 |
Sources: TV Licensing: Simple Payment Plan
Sources and worked-example method
Checked 25 October 2026. Original comparisons use the £180 standard annual colour fee and assume full-year eligibility. Monthly figures are annual cost divided by twelve, not a quoted Direct Debit schedule. Refunds depend on eligibility dates and payments already made.
- TV Licensing: live and on-demand online viewing
- Government: 2026/27 licence fee
- TV Licensing: current fees and blind colour fee
- GOV.UK: free, blind and residential-care concessions
- TV Licensing: over-75 application, Direct Debit and refund
- TV Licensing: concession categories
- TV Licensing: Simple Payment Plan
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