TV licence update: Households could be eligible for refund of BBC tax worth £159 | Personal Finance | Finance
Refunds are only given by TV Licensing if the holder does not need their licence again before it expires. On top of this, the licence holder must have at least one more complete month left on it to qualify for the refund. Television licence refunds are awarded to those who saw their licence expire within less than two years ago.
Currently, the cost of a TV licence stands at £159 for a colour licence and £53.50 for a black and white licence if someone were to pay full price.
This means that if someone were to pay the full price for a television licence and receive a refund, they would get £159 back.
TV licences are legally required in the UK to watch or record live programming as it is broadcast.
In light of the rise in streaming services, a licence is also needed to watch or stream live content from outlets such as BBC iPlayer or Amazon Prime.
READ MORE: Council tax reductions explained: Who is eligible to pay less and how to claim
For someone to get the full refund, they will have to complete an online form which will ask for the name the licence is under, address and postcode.
While they are completing this form, licence holders must clarify the date at which they will no longer need it.
Anyone who pays for their licence via Direct Debit does not need to cancel their licence payment as this will be done for them after the refund is processed.
When told to provide evidence as to why they should get a refund, applicants should print out their form and sign it.
DON’T MISS
“This does not apply if you are over 75 or blind. You can apply for a refund for any length of time left on your licence, and no matter how long ago you became eligible for an over 75 or blind concession.
“You can sign in and view your licence online. To do this you’ll need to enter your licence number, last name, and postcode.”
TV Licensing added: “Working out precise refund amounts can be complicated. But we will do it for you.
“We’ll look carefully at the information you give us and let you know if we can offer you a refund, and how much it will be.”
