TV licence exemptions: over-75, Pension Credit, blind discount and how to apply

Since 1 August 2020, the free TV licence for over-75s is means-tested. It is not free for all over-75s. It is free only for households where someone aged 75 or over receives Pension Credit, or where a partner of a Pension Credit claimant is aged 75 or over.

Before August 2020, the situation was different. The government funded a free licence for every household with a resident aged 75 or over. That arrangement was transferred to the BBC as part of the 2015 Charter agreement. The BBC chose to end the universal entitlement and moved to the Pension Credit means-test from August 2020. This was a significant change and was genuinely contentious. Many older households are still unaware of it, or still expect the universal free licence to apply.

If you or your partner are 75 or over and receive Pension Credit, your TV licence is free. Apply through TVLicensing.co.uk. If you are 75 or over but do not receive Pension Credit, you pay the standard annual fee.

The qualifying conditions are:

• You or your partner must be aged 75 or over
• You or your partner must be receiving Pension Credit (either Guarantee Credit or Savings Credit)

If one partner is under 75 but the other is 75 or over and receives Pension Credit, the household qualifies.

If you are 75 or over but are not on Pension Credit, you do not qualify for the free licence. You pay the full annual fee.

Verify the exact eligibility conditions, including any recent changes, at TVLicensing.co.uk when applying.

If anyone in your household is registered as severely sight-impaired (also called registered blind), you are entitled to a 50% discount on your TV licence. Only one person in the household needs to qualify — the discount applies to the whole licence for that address.

To apply, you need either a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) issued by an ophthalmologist, or a BP1 certificate, or a letter from your local authority confirming that the person is registered as severely sight-impaired.

Apply through TVLicensing online or by post, attaching a copy of the certificate or letter. The discount applies from the date of your application — it is not automatically backdated. If you have been eligible for some time and have not applied, you can only claim the discount from the point you submit the application, unless you specifically ask TVLicensing to backdate and can show the qualifying evidence was already in place.

These three benefits are linked in a way that is worth understanding.

Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age with care needs. It does not directly unlock a free TV licence. But Attendance Allowance can increase the amount of Pension Credit you receive — specifically through the severe disability addition. And Pension Credit, when combined with being aged 75 or over, does unlock the free TV licence.

So the chain is: Attendance Allowance raises your Pension Credit entitlement, which can tip someone into qualifying for the free TV licence.

If you or an older relative receives Attendance Allowance, check Pension Credit eligibility. If they are 75 or over and already on Pension Credit, apply to TVLicensing for the free licence. If they are not on Pension Credit, check whether Attendance Allowance has pushed them into eligibility.

People in residential care homes — residents in care homes who have their own TV in their room need a licence for that room if they watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer there. Communal TV areas in the home are typically covered by a separate licence held by the home. Verify the exact rules with TVLicensing if you are arranging this for a family member.

Supported living and accommodation for homeless people — some supported living arrangements have specific provisions. Contact TVLicensing directly for advice on the exact arrangement, as the rules depend on the type of accommodation.

If you are already paying and then qualify for an exemption — apply to TVLicensing as soon as you qualify. If you have paid in advance and are then awarded an exemption, you can apply for a refund on the remaining unused portion of your licence. TVLicensing will calculate the refund from the date your exemption starts.

Both the over-75 exemption and the blind discount are applied through TVLicensing.co.uk.

For the over-75 exemption, you confirm that you or your partner are 75 or over and provide your Pension Credit award notice or National Insurance number so TVLicensing can verify the claim with DWP.

For the blind discount, you submit a copy of your CVI, BP1, or local authority registration letter.

If applying by post, send supporting documents as copies rather than originals where possible. TVLicensing accepts scanned copies for online applications.