Why the free TV licence at 75 now hinges on Pension Credit

Brian turns 75 next spring. He remembers his mother’s free TV licence arriving the year she reached that age, with no forms and no fuss, and he has assumed the same will happen for him. It will not. Since 1 August 2020, the free licence for over-75s has depended on Pension Credit, and it has to be applied for.

For a household watching every bill, the difference is £180 a year. For many others the rule simply does not apply. The useful thing is knowing which group you are in.

What a licence costs from April 2026

The government confirmed in February 2026 that the standard colour TV licence would rise from £174.50 to £180 a year from 1 April 2026, an uplift of 3.14% based on inflation. A black and white licence costs £60.50. The fee is due to rise with inflation again in April 2027, the final year of the current BBC Charter, which ends on 31 December 2027. As of late October 2026, the April 2027 figure has not been published.

Who gets a free licence at 75

GOV.UK sets out the condition simply. You can get a free TV licence if you are 75 or older and either:

• you get Pension Credit, or
• you live with a partner who gets Pension Credit.

The free licence covers everyone living at your address, so a son or daughter living with an eligible parent is also covered. What does not count on its own is age: being 75 or 90 without Pension Credit in the household means paying the full fee. Other benefits such as Attendance Allowance do not qualify you by themselves.

The rules changed when the BBC took over responsibility for the concession. Before 1 August 2020, everyone over 75 could get a free licence; since then it has been limited to households where a person aged 75 or over gets Pension Credit, and the BBC pays for it.

When the Pension Credit is in your partner’s name

Couples sometimes assume the free licence fails because the Pension Credit award is in the other partner’s name. It does not. Pension Credit for a couple is assessed jointly, and the licence rule looks at whether you, or a partner living at the same address, get it.

The age test applies to the licence holder, so in a couple where one partner is 76 and the other is 70, it is the 76-year-old who should hold the licence and apply.

Applying at 74, and how the switch works

1. If you already get Pension Credit, you can apply from age 74. You keep paying for your current licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday, and the free licence starts after that.
2. Apply online through the TV Licensing website, or by phone using the number listed on GOV.UK. TV Licensing checks Pension Credit with the DWP. Applying is free.
3. If you have been paying while eligible, or have months left on a paid licence, ask TV Licensing about any refund as part of the application rather than cancelling payments yourself.

Four households compared

Uses the £180 colour licence fee from 1 April 2026 and the £7.50 concessionary licence. Eligibility for each route depends on the official checks described in this article.

Frank’s case is the one worth a second look. If his income is low enough, a successful Pension Credit claim would change his licence cost as well as his weekly income.

Why Pension Credit is the real starting point

Because the licence follows Pension Credit, the more useful question for many over-75s is whether they could get Pension Credit at all. In 2026/27, guarantee credit tops weekly income up to £238 for a single person or £363.25 for a couple. You can still qualify with some savings or a home of your own, and extra amounts can apply for carers and people who are severely disabled.

Because the licence follows Pension Credit, the more useful question for many over-75s is whether they could get Pension Credit at all.

A Pension Credit claim can be made online or on the free claim line, 0800 99 1234 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm), and a friend or relative can call for you. If you claim after reaching State Pension age, it can be backdated by up to three months. Our guide to what else Pension Credit brings covers the other help it brings, from Council Tax Reduction to Cold Weather Payments.

Care homes, sheltered housing and other reductions

A separate concession, often called the Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) scheme, means a TV licence costs £7.50 for people living in eligible residential care homes, supported housing or sheltered accommodation. GOV.UK says you must be retired and over 60, or disabled. You do not apply yourself: the housing or care home manager checks eligibility and applies for residents.

People who are registered blind, or live with someone who is, can get a 50% discount, which brings a colour licence to £90. The licence needs to be in the blind person’s name.

Who this matters for, and what to check

• Anyone aged 74 or over who already gets Pension Credit and is still paying the full fee.
• Over-75s on a modest income who have never checked Pension Credit.
• Couples where only one partner is 75 or over: make sure the older partner is the applicant.
• Families of relatives in sheltered housing or a care home: ask the manager whether the £7.50 concession is in place.

Pension Credit also affects the amount of Winter Fuel Payment some households receive, so a single check can touch several bills at once.

What it comes down to

The free licence for over-75s still exists, but it is tied to Pension Credit, not to age alone, and it is not automatic. For eligible households the difference is the full £180 fee for 2026/27. Checking Pension Credit first, applying from 74, and asking about the £7.50 concession in sheltered or residential settings covers almost every route to a lower bill.