The BBC licence fee is scheduled to increase in the coming days. The Department for Media, Culture and Sport has disclosed that the annual fee for the TV licence will elevate to £180 starting from April 1.
Presently, a TV licence costs £174.50 per year, necessary for viewing or recording live TV programs on any platform, including TV sets, PCs, laptops, tablets, or smartphones.
Having a TV licence is mandatory if you watch any content on BBC iPlayer, whether live or on-demand. However, it is not required for catch-up viewing on other streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, ITVX, Disney Plus, YouTube, All 4, or My5.
If you watch live broadcasts through these services, a TV licence is essential. Being caught watching live TV without a licence could result in a potential fine of up to £1,000. In the 2023/24 fiscal year, the licence fee contributed 68% to BBC funding, with total income reaching £5.39 billion.
Individuals eligible for Pension Credit and aged 75 and above are entitled to a free TV licence. Likewise, students living away from home might be covered if their parents possess a TV licence, provided they view TV on devices like phones, tablets, or laptops.
However, coverage does not extend to watching on a plugged-in television or desktop computer. Persons with visual impairments can avail a 50% discount on their TV licence, while those in residential care or sheltered housing may apply for a discounted TV licence at £7.50 per unit.
The TV licence fee typically increases annually in April in accordance with the previous September Consumer Price Index (CPI). Following a confirmed inflation rate of 3.8% in September, the TV licence fee will rise to £180 from April 1, with an annual color TV licence costing £5.50 more post-increase, equivalent to a monthly rise of 46p.
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