From 1 April 2026 the standard colour TV Licence costs £180 a year, up £5.50 (about 3.1%) from £174.50. You need one to watch or record live TV on any channel or streaming service — and to use BBC iPlayer at all — but not to watch on-demand Netflix, Prime, Disney+ or YouTube. Over-75s on Pension Credit pay nothing, blind viewers get 50% off (£90), and eligible care-home residents pay just £7.50. If you genuinely never watch live TV or iPlayer, you can legally cancel — watching without a licence risks a fine of up to £1,000.
The TV Licence is one of those bills people pay on autopilot, year after year, without ever asking whether they still need it. Streaming has quietly changed the answer for millions of households. This guide sets out exactly what the 2026 fee is, who legally must pay it, who is exempt or discounted, and how to stop paying — safely and legally — if you have moved entirely to on-demand viewing.
What the TV Licence costs in 2026
The colour TV Licence rose to £180 a year on 1 April 2026, a £5.50 increase on the previous £174.50. The rise is set by an inflation-linked formula agreed as part of the BBC’s current Charter settlement, which runs until the end of 2027. The rarely used black-and-white licence went up to £60.50.
You can spread the cost rather than pay £180 in one hit: monthly and quarterly direct debits, a weekly cash payment plan, and a savings-card scheme are all available at no extra charge. The headline figure is the same however you split it — the payment plans exist to ease cash flow, not to add fees.
| Licence year (from April) | Standard colour fee | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | £169.50 | — |
| 2025 | £174.50 | +£5.00 |
| 2026 | £180.00 | +£5.50 (+3.1%) |
Who needs a TV Licence — and who doesn’t
The rule is about how you watch, not what device you use. You legally need a licence if you do any of the following on a TV, laptop, phone, tablet or games console:
- Watch or record programmes as they are being broadcast on any channel — BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, satellite, cable, anything.
- Watch anything live on an online service or app — including live streams on ITVX, Channel 4, Now, Amazon or even a live broadcast on YouTube.
- Use BBC iPlayer for anything at all — live or on-demand, catch-up or download. iPlayer needs a licence full stop.
You do not need a licence if you only ever watch on-demand, non-BBC content. That means Netflix, Disney+, standard Amazon Prime Video, YouTube clips, and catch-up (not live) on ITVX, Channel 4 or Channel 5 are all fine without one. The single trap to avoid is BBC iPlayer: open it once to stream a show and you legally need a licence, even if you never touch live TV otherwise.
Exemptions and discounts
Several groups pay nothing or a reduced rate. It is worth checking these carefully, because the concessions are not applied automatically — you have to claim them.
| Situation | What you pay in 2026 | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Standard household | £180 | Watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer |
| Aged 75+ and on Pension Credit | £0 (free) | Must claim; covers everyone in the home |
| Blind / severely sight impaired | £90 (50% off) | Licence must be in the eligible person’s name |
| Qualifying care / sheltered housing (ARC) | £7.50 | Arranged via the accommodation manager |
| Only watch on-demand (no iPlayer) | £0 — no licence needed | Never watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer |
Over-75s. The free licence is no longer automatic at 75 — it only applies if you (or a partner you live with) receive Pension Credit. If you are over 75 but not on Pension Credit, you pay the full £180. This makes claiming Pension Credit doubly worthwhile: it can unlock a free licence worth £180 on top of the benefit itself.
Blind or severely sight impaired. You can claim a 50% reduction, bringing the fee to £90. The licence has to be in the name of the person who is registered blind; you may be asked for evidence such as a CVI (Certificate of Vision Impairment) or a local-authority registration.
Care and sheltered housing. Many residents of qualifying care homes and sheltered schemes pay a concessionary £7.50 “Accommodation for Residential Care” (ARC) licence, usually arranged through the housing manager. You only need your own licence if you watch TV in your private room rather than solely in a communal lounge.
Students. There is no blanket student exemption — if you watch live TV or use iPlayer in halls or a shared house, you need a licence. But if you are covered by your parents’ licence at their home and only use a device powered by its own internal battery (not plugged in) away at university, you may be covered. Students who move out over summer can also claim a refund for unused months.
How to legally cancel your TV Licence
If you have honestly stopped watching live TV and never use BBC iPlayer, you are free to cancel — and you can claim a refund for any complete months left on your current licence. The process is straightforward:
- Go to the official tvlicensing.co.uk site and complete the cancellation and refund request form (you can claim back full unused months if you have at least one left).
- Fill in the “no licence needed” declaration, which formally tells TV Licensing you do not require one.
- Keep the confirmation email as proof.
- Be aware TV Licensing may still send letters or arrange a visit to verify your home genuinely does not need a licence — that is normal and nothing to fear if your declaration is truthful.
Only make the declaration if it is actually true. Watching live TV or using iPlayer without a valid licence is a criminal offence that can lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 (up to £2,000 in Guernsey), plus any court costs. Detection does not rely only on the vans of legend — TV Licensing cross-checks its address database against declarations, so “no licence needed” homes are the ones most likely to receive a follow-up.
Trim more than the TV Licence
For more UK money-saving guides, visit GetSmartSaver.
Explore GetSmartSaver →Is the licence fee about to change for good?
The whole funding model is under review. In December 2025 the Government launched a formal review of the BBC’s Royal Charter, with a White Paper expected later in 2026 ahead of the next Charter period. Ministers have said everything is on the table: how the fee is set, how concessions work, and whether the licence fee should be replaced altogether by something else — options floated in the debate range from a subscription model to funding through general taxation or a graduated household charge.
There are reasonable arguments on both sides. Supporters say a flat licence fee keeps the BBC independent of both advertisers and the government of the day, and funds universal services like local news and children’s programming that a subscription might not sustain. Critics argue a flat charge is regressive, hard to justify when so many households watch only streaming, and increasingly awkward to enforce. Nothing has changed yet — for now the £180 fee and the rules above still apply — but it is a space worth watching over the next couple of years.
Cutting the licence as part of the bigger picture
Dropping a licence you no longer need is an easy £180 win, but it is rarely the biggest one hiding in your household budget. The same “do I actually use this?” question applies right across your bills. It is worth pairing this with a look at your cheapest broadband options for 2026, checking whether you qualify for a broadband social tariff, and working through our guide to cutting your mobile bill. To see what a saving like this is really worth in your pocket after tax, run the numbers through our free take-home pay calculator — small recurring cuts add up faster than most people expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a TV Licence in 2026?
The standard colour TV Licence costs £180 a year from 1 April 2026, up £5.50 from £174.50. The black-and-white licence is £60.50. You can pay in one go or spread the cost monthly, quarterly or weekly at no extra charge.
Do I need a TV Licence to watch Netflix or YouTube?
No. On-demand services such as Netflix, Disney+, standard Amazon Prime Video and pre-recorded YouTube videos do not require a licence. You only need one if you watch live TV on any service, or use BBC iPlayer for anything at all.
Can I get a free TV Licence if I am over 75?
Only if you or a partner you live with receive Pension Credit. The free licence is no longer automatic at 75. If you are over 75 but not on Pension Credit, you pay the full £180, so it is well worth checking whether you qualify for Pension Credit.
How do I cancel my TV Licence legally?
If you never watch live TV and never use BBC iPlayer, complete the cancellation and refund form on tvlicensing.co.uk and fill in the “no licence needed” declaration. You can claim a refund for complete unused months. Keep the confirmation email in case of a verification visit.
What is the penalty for watching TV without a licence?
Watching live TV or using BBC iPlayer without a valid licence is a criminal offence. You can be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000 (up to £2,000 in Guernsey), plus any court costs. Only make a “no licence needed” declaration if it is genuinely true.
Is the TV Licence being scrapped?
Not yet. The Government launched a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter in December 2025, with a White Paper due later in 2026 that will consider how the BBC is funded in future. For now the £180 licence fee and the current rules still apply.
Last reviewed: July 2026. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. TV Licence rules, fees and concessions can change — always check the official tvlicensing.co.uk and gov.uk before acting on your own circumstances.
