The TV Licence fee is set to increase in April (Image: GETTY)
TV Licence fees are due to rise in April from £169.50 to £174.50, with annual increases in line with inflation expected until the Royal Charter it sits in expires in 2027.
The future of TV licences beyond this point is causing a stir, as some proposals could see charges applied even to those who only use streaming services.
However, over a million UK households could already be eligible for a free TV licence, avoiding both the upcoming increases and any uncertainty post-2027, on top of saving nearly £200 each year.
Certain groups may qualify for a free or discounted licence, with more information available on the official .
One such group includes pensioners over the age of 75. If you or your partner, residing at the same address, are over 75 and claiming Pension Credit, you could be eligible for a free licence.
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According to the , when the Pension Credit requirement was first introduced in 2020, around 1.5 million households qualified for free licences under this exemption. It’s worth noting that different arrangements apply for over 75s in the Isle of Man, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Additionally, if you are blind or severely sight impaired, you could receive up to 50% off the fee with the appropriate evidence.
If you’re aged 75 or over and reside in a care home, you might be eligible for an Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) TV Licence, meaning you won’t need to pay for your own licence even if you don’t receive Pension Credit. The TV Licensing authority advises getting in touch with your care home administrator to confirm this.
If you discover that you qualify for a free licence but have been paying for one, you could potentially get a refund backdated to when you first became eligible for the free licence. While there are no student discounts, students who purchase a TV licence for their accommodation but use it for less than 12 months could claim a refund for the unused months.
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If you only watch a black and white TV, you can obtain a specific black and white TV licence for £57.
In certain situations, you may not legally require a TV licence at all.
At present, you only need a TV licence to watch or record live television in the UK, including live-streaming on platforms like YouTube or Sky. A licence is also required to use iPlayer for on-demand content.
However, other catch-up platforms such as ITV Hub or All4 and on-demand services like do not require a licence, provided they are not used to watch live TV.