FREE TV LICENCE SCHEME

What Is It?

The Free TV Licence Scheme provides for the Post Office to be able to issue a TV licence free of charge, to certain people in receipt of, or treated as being in receipt of, either Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance.

Basic qualifying conditions

To qualify you (or your partner) must -

• be liable to pay a fee for a television licence
• have attained pensionable age but be under age 75
• be in receipt, or treated as being in receipt, of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or have been in receipt of those benefits or be the widow or widower of a person who has been in receipt of those benefits and have savings of less than £20,000 (this amount applies to single persons and couples)

How and when should I apply?

A claim can be made at any time within the 3 month period commencing one month before the date upon which the TV licence is payable and ending two months after the date.

For example - if the licence is due for renewal on 1^st October, you can claim at any time in the 3 month period between 1^st September and 30^th November.

To claim a free TV licence you should attend the Post Office and present the following -

• TV Licence renewal notice;
• Retirement Pension Payment Orders; and
• the Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance Payment Orders or cheque.

If a claim is made outside the time limit, it will be necessary for the licence to be purchased from the Post Office, and a claim form TV2 completed and returned to the Income Support (Pensioners) Unit, First Floor, Markwell House, Market Street, Douglas IM1 2RZ within 6 months of the date the TV licence fee was due for payment.

Good cause will need to be shown for the delay in making the claim.

Special arrangements exist for you if you live in sheltered housing or a residential or nursing home. Telephone 685084 to find out more.

If you are not presently in receipt of Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or are not paid by order, you will also be required to complete form TV2.

Is there anything else I should know?

Persons aged 75 or over, who receive payment of Retirement Pension from the Department, will be sent a "certificate of age" (TV75) which they can take to a Post Office in the Isle of Man to receive a free TV Licence.

This will result in a free TV licence being issued automatically in future years.

Free licences for people aged 75 or over are issued irrespective of what (if any) benefit they are in receipt of. There is no income test. Persons aged 75 or over who do not receive payment of their Retirement Pension from the Department should contact their local Post Office to make their application.

Downloadable Documents
Section 7 - Benefits and Contributions Information Guide. (25 kb) Format:Acrobat PDF File This is an excerpt from our guide which outlines the Free TV Licence Scheme.

You will need Adobe Acrobat to download documents that are PDFs, this is available free by following this link:

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