Household Bills
Renew your TV Licence this week to avoid price hike
Households whose TV License is due to expire at the end of this month are being urged to renew promptly to avoid a price hike coming in from 1 April.
TV Licensing says up to 300,000 households on its database have licences that expire on 31 March 2019.
On 1 April, the price of a colour license is going up by £4 so these householders can save by renewing promptly.
The government is responsible for setting the level of the licence fee and announced in 2016 it would rise in line with inflation for five years from 1 April 2017. The 2019 licence fee increase was announced on 1 February 2019.
What’s changing?
From 1 April, a new colour licence will cost £154.50, an increase of £4 on the previous fee. A black and white licence will cost £52, an increase of £1.50.
There is no change to the free over 75 TV Licence and if you are blind or severely sight impaired, you are still able to apply for a 50% concession. This means a colour licence will cost £77.25, an increase of £2.
If you started a payment plan before 1 April, such as monthly direct debit, you will continue to pay towards a licence fee of £150.50 until your licence is due to be renewed.
Who needs a TV Licence?
You’ll need a licence if you watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service.
You’ll also need one if you download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer.
This applies to any provider you use and any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.
If you’re watching TV away from your home on a phone, tablet or laptop, and you plug your device into the mains, you’ll be covered if that property already has a TV Licence (e.g. you go to a friend’s house and they have a licence).
If your device is not plugged in (i.e. you’re watching or recording live TV programmes on any channel, or downloading or watching BBC programmes on iPlayer, using devices powered solely by internal batteries) you will be covered by your home TV Licence.
How to pay for a licence
• Online at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/payinfo by direct debit or with a debit or credit card.
• Direct debit: monthly, quarterly or annual direct debit payment schemes are available and can be set up online at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/directdebit
• Over-the-counter at any of over 28,000 PayPoint outlets across the country or by cash or credit/debit card.
• Debit or credit card over the phone.
• By post: send a cheque made payable to TV Licensing to: TV Licensing, Darlington, DL98 1TL.
