Pillar Guide · Updated July 2026
TV Licence Concessions: A Complete UK Guide for 2026/27
Most UK households pay the standard annual TV Licence fee, but several concessions can reduce or remove the cost for specific groups. This guide explains the over-75 concession linked to Pension Credit, the discount for people who are blind or severely sight impaired, care home arrangements, and when you may not need a licence at all.
The Standard Licence Fee
A TV Licence is required by law for any household that watches or records live television as it is being broadcast, on any channel, or uses BBC iPlayer, regardless of the device used, whether a television, computer, tablet or phone. The standard annual fee is reviewed each year and applies per household, covering all devices used at that address.
The Over-75 Concession
Since 2020, a free TV Licence for over-75s is only available to households where someone is aged 75 or over and receives Pension Credit, rather than being universally free for everyone over 75 as it previously was. The person receiving Pension Credit can apply for the free licence to cover the whole household, and it must be renewed periodically to confirm continued eligibility.
Discount for Blind or Severely Sight Impaired People
A person who is registered blind or severely sight impaired (or who lives with someone who is, and the licence is in that person's name, or a joint or the blind person's name) can apply for a 50% discount on the TV Licence fee, which applies for the lifetime of that licence as long as the qualifying person continues to live at the address.
Care Home Concession
Residents of qualifying residential care homes, sheltered accommodation, or similar establishments can benefit from a reduced TV Licence fee, known as the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) scheme, which allows a single licence to be purchased for a resident's own room at a significantly reduced cost compared with the standard fee, provided the establishment is registered under the scheme.
When You May Not Need a Licence at All
A licence is not needed if a household only ever watches on-demand or catch-up content other than BBC iPlayer (such as other streaming services' catch-up libraries, excluding live channels within them), or does not watch or record anything live and does not use BBC iPlayer at all, though this is a narrower exemption than many people assume, since it excludes all live broadcast television regardless of channel.
Students Living Away from Home
A student living in halls of residence or a separate address from their family home generally needs their own separate TV Licence if they watch live television or BBC iPlayer at that address, even if their parents already hold a licence at the family home, since a licence covers a specific address rather than a person.
Short-Stay Concession
People who already hold a TV Licence at their main address do not need a separate licence to watch television on a device powered solely by its own internal batteries (not plugged into the mains or charged from a car battery) at a different address, such as watching on a battery-powered laptop or tablet while on holiday.
How to Apply for a Concession
Applications for the over-75 Pension Credit concession, the blind discount, or the care home concession are made directly to TV Licensing, usually online or by post, providing evidence of the relevant qualifying circumstances such as a Pension Credit award letter or evidence of a Certificate of Vision Impairment.