The TV licence costs £169.50 per year in 2026/27 and funds BBC television, radio, and online services. Whether you actually need one depends entirely on how you watch — not what device you use or whether you own a television set. Many households that assume they need a licence do not, and some that assume they are covered are not.
Do You Need a TV Licence?
The licence requirement has two separate triggers: watching live TV on any channel or platform, and using BBC iPlayer for anything at all. You only need to satisfy one of these conditions to need a licence.
| Activity | Licence needed? |
|---|---|
| Watching any live TV on any channel (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, etc.) | Yes |
| Watching or downloading anything on BBC iPlayer (live or on-demand) | Yes |
| Watching live TV on a phone, tablet, laptop, or streaming stick | Yes |
| Watching on-demand only on Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, YouTube | No |
| Listening to BBC radio (live or on-demand) | No |
| Listening to podcasts | No |
| Watching YouTube videos (not live broadcasts) | No |
| Watching DVDs or Blu-rays | No |
| Playing games on a TV or monitor | No |
The key principle: Live TV requires a licence regardless of which device you watch on. The same programme watched live on a phone in a park is treated identically to watching it on a television at home. The BBC iPlayer rule is an additional requirement on top of this — iPlayer catch-up requires a licence even though it is not technically live.
If you genuinely only use Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and similar services — and never touch iPlayer or any live channel — you do not need a TV licence. But you must make a formal declaration to stop receiving enforcement letters (see below).
TV Licence Cost 2026/27
The standard colour licence costs £169.50 for the year. The black-and-white licence still exists but very few people hold one. Discounts are available for specific groups — there is no low-income discount as such, though some benefit claimants may qualify through the over-75 route.
| Licence type | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| Colour TV licence | £169.50 |
| Black and white TV licence | £57.00 |
| Over-75 (receiving Pension Credit) | Free |
| Blind / severely sight impaired | 50% discount (£84.75) |
| AMP accommodation (care homes) | £7.50 per room per year |
Payment Options
You can spread the cost across the year if paying the full £169.50 upfront is difficult. Monthly and quarterly direct debits work out at the same annual total but are easier to manage on a tight budget.
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Annual lump sum | £169.50 — pay once per year |
| Quarterly direct debit | £42.38 per quarter |
| Monthly direct debit | £14.13 per month |
| Weekly cash / savings stamps | From £3.27/week at PayPoint outlets |
Who Is Exempt?
Free TV Licence — Over 75 on Pension Credit
Before June 2020, all households with someone aged 75 or over received a free TV licence. The BBC took over responsibility for the concession from the government and immediately restricted it to those receiving Pension Credit. This change remains controversial, and campaign groups continue to lobby for the universal over-75 entitlement to be restored — but as of 2026, only Pension Credit recipients qualify.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 75 or over |
| Benefit | Must be receiving Pension Credit (either Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit) |
| Household | Only one person in the household needs to qualify |
| How to claim | Apply at tvlicensing.co.uk/age or call 0300 790 6165 |
| Renewal | Must be renewed annually — it is not automatic |
If your partner is 75 or over and receives Pension Credit, the whole household is covered — including you, even if you are younger. If you are approaching 75 and not yet claiming Pension Credit, it is worth checking whether you qualify, as it could unlock the free licence. See our Pension Credit guide for eligibility details.
50% Discount — Blind or Severely Sight Impaired
If you are registered blind or severely sight impaired with your local council, you qualify for a 50% discount on the TV licence. This applies even though the licence covers audio content such as radio, which you may use independently of visual TV.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certification | Must be registered blind or severely sight impaired with your local authority |
| Discount | 50% — currently £84.75 for a colour licence |
| How to apply | Call 0300 790 6165 with your registration details |
Students
Students are one of the most commonly confused groups. There is no general student exemption — whether you need a licence depends on where you live and how you watch.
| Situation | Licence needed? |
|---|---|
| Student in halls — only watches on a battery-powered, unplugged device | Covered by parents’ licence |
| Student in halls — device plugged into the mains | Needs own licence |
| Student in a shared house | One licence covers the whole address |
| Student who never watches live TV or iPlayer | No licence needed — make a declaration |
The battery-powered rule is very specific: the device must be completely disconnected from the mains at the time of viewing. Using a laptop on battery power while it is also plugged in to charge does not count. In practice, most students in halls either need their own licence or have already moved their viewing entirely to on-demand services.
Care Homes and Sheltered Housing
Care homes with AMP (Accommodation for Residential Care) status pay a heavily discounted rate of £7.50 per room. This does not apply to self-contained sheltered housing units, which each require a full licence.
| Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| AMP accommodation (residential care) | £7.50 per room per year |
| Sheltered housing (self-contained units) | Full licence per unit |
How to Cancel Your TV Licence
If you no longer need a TV licence — because you have stopped watching live TV and iPlayer, moved abroad, or the last person in the household who was a viewer has died — you should cancel the licence rather than just stop paying.
Step-by-Step Cancellation
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Go to tvlicensing.co.uk or call 0300 790 6165 |
| 2 | Tell them you no longer need a licence |
| 3 | Complete a No Licence Needed declaration |
| 4 | If you paid annually, request a refund for remaining complete months |
| 5 | If you pay by direct debit, TV Licensing cancels it — do not cancel the DD yourself first |
The most important thing to avoid is cancelling your direct debit before formally cancelling the licence. If you cancel the DD but not the licence, TV Licensing’s system still shows the account as active but unpaid, and you will start receiving late payment and enforcement letters. Always cancel through the TV Licensing website or phone line first.
Refund Rules
If you have paid for a full year and cancel partway through, you receive a refund for the complete months remaining. Partial months are not refunded.
| Payment method | Refund |
|---|---|
| Annual payment | Refund for each complete month remaining |
| Direct debit (monthly or quarterly) | Payments stop; any overpayment is refunded |
| Savings stamps | Any unused credit is refunded |
| Processing time | Usually 3–4 weeks by cheque or bank transfer |
Making a No Licence Needed Declaration
Even if you genuinely do not need a licence, TV Licensing will continue sending letters to your address until you formally declare that you do not need one. Making a declaration at tvlicensing.co.uk takes about two minutes and means you will not receive further letters or enforcement visits.
Key points about the declaration:
- It lasts two years, after which TV Licensing may contact you again to confirm your status
- You will need to renew it every two years if your situation has not changed
- Making a declaration is not an admission of any wrongdoing — it simply removes your address from the enforcement queue
- You can make a declaration for any reason you do not need a licence: no live TV watching, no iPlayer use, moving abroad, or the equipment has been removed from the property
Enforcement — Your Rights
TV Licensing enforcement is widely misunderstood, partly because their letters are designed to sound more authoritative than the legal reality. Understanding your rights makes dealing with them much less stressful.
Enforcement officers — sometimes called Visiting Officers — have no right of entry to your home without a warrant. They can knock on your door, but you are under no obligation to open it, speak to them, or allow them inside. You do not need to explain yourself. If you have made a No Licence Needed declaration, you can simply tell them through the door.
To obtain a search warrant, TV Licensing must apply to a magistrate and demonstrate reasonable grounds to believe an offence is being committed. Warrants are obtained occasionally but are not common. The cost and effort of the process means TV Licensing generally pursues other avenues first.
| Situation | Your rights |
|---|---|
| Enforcement officer visits | You do not have to open the door, let them in, or speak to them |
| They ask to enter | You can refuse — they have no automatic right of entry |
| Search warrant | Only possible with a magistrate’s warrant; you must let them in if one is produced |
| Letters | Often computer-generated; you can ignore them if you have made a valid declaration |
| Maximum fine | £1,000 plus legal costs for watching without a licence |
If You Receive Threatening Letters
TV Licensing sends automated letters to any address that does not have a licence on record. The letters escalate in tone — from reminders to warnings to notices about enforcement visits — but they are largely automated and do not indicate that anyone has actually checked whether you need a licence.
If you have made a No Licence Needed declaration, you can disregard these letters. If you are not making a declaration and genuinely do not need a licence, it is still worth making one to stop the letters. If you receive letters at a new address, it is almost certainly because the previous occupant did not cancel their licence — update your records or make a new declaration for the address.
Streaming Services — Do You Need a Licence?
The critical distinction for streaming is: BBC iPlayer always requires a licence; all other services only require one for live broadcasts.
| Service | Requires licence? |
|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer (live or on-demand catch-up) | Yes — always |
| ITV Hub / ITVX — live broadcast | Yes |
| ITVX — on-demand catch-up only | No |
| Channel 4 — live broadcast | Yes |
| Channel 4 — on-demand only | No |
| Sky Go / Now TV — live channels | Yes |
| Sky Go / Now TV — on-demand content | No |
| Netflix | No |
| Disney+ | No |
| Amazon Prime Video | No |
| Apple TV+ | No |
| YouTube — regular videos | No |
| YouTube — live broadcasts | Yes |
If your household has moved entirely to on-demand viewing and you have cut out iPlayer, you genuinely do not need a licence. This is increasingly common, particularly among younger households. The practical question to ask is: “Does anyone in this house ever watch anything live, or use BBC iPlayer for any programme?” If the honest answer is no, you can cancel.
Moving House
Your TV licence is linked to your address, not to you personally. When you move, you need to update your address with TV Licensing so that your old address gets a fresh record and your new address shows as licensed.
- If you move into a property where another licence holder already lives, you are covered by their licence for the whole address — you do not need a separate one
- If you move into a property alone, your existing licence covers the new address from the day you move in, but you must update your records online or by phone
- If you cancel your licence when you leave a property and do not move somewhere already covered, you will need to buy a new licence if you watch live TV or iPlayer at the new address
Common Scenarios
| Scenario | Need a licence? |
|---|---|
| Only use Netflix and YouTube on a smart TV | No |
| Watch live football on Sky Go on a phone | Yes |
| Watch BBC dramas on iPlayer catch-up | Yes |
| Have a TV but only use it for gaming | No |
| Listen to BBC Radio on a smart speaker | No |
| Elderly parent is 75+ and receives Pension Credit | Free licence |
| Student in halls on battery-powered laptop | Covered by parents’ licence |
| Shared house — one housemate watches live TV | One licence covers the whole address |
| Moving abroad for a year | Cancel and get a refund for remaining months |
| TV broken, no replacement yet | Still need a licence if you watch on another device |
Business Premises
Businesses need to be aware that the licence covers the premises, not individuals. If any TV or screen is used for live viewing or iPlayer at business premises, a licence is required for those premises.
| Situation | Licence details |
|---|---|
| Office with a TV in a reception area | One licence covers the whole premises |
| Staff watching on personal devices on company premises during breaks | Covered by the business premises licence |
| Hotel guest rooms | Concessionary rate per room (contact TV Licensing directly) |
| Shop displaying TVs for sale | Exempt — but only if showing pre-recorded content or test pictures, not live broadcasts |
Key Contacts
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Licensing website | tvlicensing.co.uk |
| Phone | 0300 790 6165 |
| Textphone | 0300 790 6050 |
| Post | TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL |
| Over-75 free licence | tvlicensing.co.uk/age |
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