What a colour and a black and white TV licence cost from 1 April 2026, every change since
1 April 2010, who gets a free or cheaper licence and how the fee can be paid. Read from
the Regulations and GOV.UK on 22 October 2026.
Colour TV licence
£180.00
From 1 April 2026, up from £174.50
Black and white TV licence
£60.50
From 1 April 2026, up from £58.50
TV licence fee history
The fee is the issue fee in Schedule 1 of the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004, reset by an amending
statutory instrument for licences issued on or after 1 April. The table shows each change in the Regulations since
1 April 2010; a fee stays in force until the day before the next row.
From
Colour
Change
Black and white
Set by
1 April 2026 (current)
£180.00
+£5.50
£60.50
S.I. 2026/104
1 April 2025
£174.50
+£5.00
£58.50
S.I. 2025/133
1 April 2024
£169.50
+£10.50
£57.00
S.I. 2024/150
1 April 2021
£159.00
+£1.50
£53.50
S.I. 2021/124
1 April 2020
£157.50
+£3.00
£53.00
S.I. 2020/80
1 April 2019
£154.50
+£4.00
£52.00
S.I. 2019/151
1 April 2018
£150.50
+£3.50
£50.50
S.I. 2018/219
1 April 2017
£147.00
+£1.50
£49.50
S.I. 2017/221
1 April 2010
£145.50
Earliest row
£49.00
S.I. 2010/640
Free and discounted TV licences
Who
What you pay
Condition
Aged 75 or over
Free
You get Pension Credit, or live with a partner who does. The licence covers everyone at the address.
Registered blind
50 per cent: £90.00 colour, £30.25 black and white
The licence is in the blind person's name and each place on it is their residence.
Residential care, supported housing or sheltered accommodation
£7.50 per unit
An eligible home, and you are retired and over 60, or disabled. Your housing manager applies.
To apply for the over-75 licence at 74 you must already get Pension Credit, and you pay for your licence until the end of
the month before your 75th birthday. See whether you could get Pension Credit with the
Pension Credit calculator,
and the State Pension amounts on the
State Pension rates page.
Paying for a TV licence
Way to pay
Payments
Total for a full year
In full
One payment of £180.00
£180.00
Premium instalment licence
4 payments of £46.25
£185.00 (£5.00 more than paying in full)
Simple payment plan, monthly
£15.00, then 11 of £15.00
£180.00
Simple payment plan, fortnightly
£7.00, then 25 of £6.92
£180.00
Simple payment plans are issued only in the circumstances Schedule 2 of the Regulations sets out, which include having
received free debt advice or experiencing significant difficulties in meeting essential household expenses. The instalments
above are those for a licence issued for a full year; Schedule 2 sets other amounts for shorter licences.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a TV licence?
A colour TV licence costs £180.00 a year and a black and white one £60.50, from 1 April 2026. Those are the issue fees in Schedule 1 of the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004. GOV.UK gives the same figures for both homes and businesses.
When does the TV licence fee go up?
The fee is changed by an amending statutory instrument that takes effect on 1 April, and in recent years it has moved each April except 2022 and 2023. The last rise was +£5.50 on 1 April 2026, from £174.50 to £180.00.
Who gets a free TV licence?
Anyone aged 75 or over who gets Pension Credit, or who lives with a partner who gets it. The licence covers everyone living at the address. Check whether you qualify for Pension Credit with our Pension Credit calculator.
Can I get a free licence before I am 75?
You can apply at 74 if you already get Pension Credit, but you still pay for your licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday. After that your free licence covers you.
How much is a TV licence for someone who is blind?
The fee payable is 50 per cent of the usual fee, which is £90.00 for a colour licence and £30.25 for black and white. The licence must be in the name of the person who is registered blind, who needs to provide evidence of it, and each place on the licence must be their residence.
What is the £7.50 TV licence?
It is the Accommodation for Residential Care licence: £7.50 for each unit of accommodation in an eligible residential care home, supported housing or sheltered accommodation. Your housing manager checks eligibility and applies for you. To qualify you must be retired and over 60, or disabled.
Do I need a TV licence for Netflix or YouTube?
No. You need a licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or service, and to use BBC iPlayer. You do not need one for streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on websites like YouTube, or videos and DVDs.
What is the fine for not having a TV licence?
GOV.UK says you can be fined up to £1,000 if you watch or record live TV without a TV Licence.
Can I pay for a TV licence in instalments?
Yes. A Premium instalment licence is 4 payments of £46.25, £185.00 in all. A simple payment plan, for people in the circumstances the Regulations set out, spreads the £180.00 fee over monthly or fortnightly payments at no extra cost.
