Some over 75s are entitled to a free TV licence (Image: Getty)
The TV licence fee is increasing from £174.50 to £180 per year from April 1, with a further inflation-linked rise coming in 2027. News of the rise, which was announced on Friday, prompted calls to help people struggling financially as households face yet another bill rise.
The cost increase will affect millions of licence fee holders, with the latest figures showing approximately 23.8 million TV licences in force as of March 2025, a share of which will of course have been issued without charge. For some Brits, help is at hand when it comes to the fee, with state pensioners who are aged 75 or over and in receipt of Pension Credit entitled to a free TV licence.
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You can also apply for a free TV licence if your partner receives Pension Credit, but you don’t.
Applications for a free licence can be made when you are 74 before the entitlement kicks in from your 75th birthday.
For anyone who is blind or severely sight impaired, and who can supply the right evidence, applications can be made for a 50% discount.
Once a blind person’s application is approved, they can apply for a free licence.
The cost of a TV licence can also be cut to £7.50 for those living in an eligible residential care home, sheltered accommodation or supported housing.
The TV licence fee will rise again in 2027 (Image: Getty)
You would have to be either retired and aged over 60 or disabled to qualify.
To be eligible for Pension Credit you need to live in England, Wales or Scotland. There are different arrangements in Northern Ireland.
For those with a partner, you will be eligible if either you and him or her have reached State Pension age (SPA), or one of you receives Housing Benefit for those over SPA.
Pension Credit is available for single people whose weekly income is less than £227.10 and under £346.60 for couples sharing a joint income.
If your income is higher than these amounts, you may still qualify if you are a carer, have a disability, possess savings or pay housing costs.
Those who reached SPA before April 2016 receive the basic State Pension, which pays £176.45 per week.
Anyone on the old State Pension without significant extra income or savings should meet the Pension Credit income requirements.
Pension Credit won’t be affected if you have £10,000 or less in savings and investments. Anyone with more than that amount will see £1 counted as income for every £500 over £10,000.
The Government argues that the TV licence fee rise is in line with inflation, as required by the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement.
In a statement, it said: « The Government recognises the financial pressures on households and is committed to ensuring the BBC’s funding model is sustainable, fair and affordable.
« The Government has committed to the licence fee for the remainder of this charter period.
« To support the public with the cost of the TV licence, we will also continue to support the simple payment plan to spread payments through smaller instalments.
« Free licences remain available for over-75s on Pension Credit, with reduced fees for care home residents and blind individuals. »
