TV Licence

Free TV licences for people aged 75 or over

All pensioners who have previously received a free TV licence from the BBC (and who continue to be eligible) have recently been issued with a new TV licence covering the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021.

In order to facilitate the issue of free TV licences to eligible persons in the Island Treasury’s Social Security Division shares the data it holds about them with TV Licensing. This data sharing is now authorised by the Age-related TV Licence Fee Concession (No. 2) Scheme 2020, a copy of which is also available in the Downloadable Documents on the right hand side of this page (see in particular the Schedule to the Scheme).

Social Security's Pensions Team will write to all pensioners who will reach age 75 during 2021 inviting them to complete and return a form in order to enrol for their free TV licence.

Pensioners who are aged 75 or over who have not previously received a free TV licence from the BBC but who now wish to do so should either contact the Pension Team on +44 1624 685176 or email them at statepensions@gov.im or if you are in receipt of Income Support for Pensioners contact the Income Support for Pensioners Team on +44 1624 687020 or email them at ISP@gov.im

Pensioners aged 75 or over who get income support will continue to be issued with free TV licences for the foreseeable future. For those who don’t get income support a decision will be made most likely in the autumn of 2021 about whether free TV licences should be issued to them for 2022 and beyond.

TV Licence payments from social security for people aged under 75

If you:

• have reached state pension age, but are under 75;
• your partner (if you have one) is also aged under 75; and
• you or your partner get income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance

you can claim a TV licence payment from Social Security  to cover the full cost of your TV licence.

By 'partner' we mean your wife, husband, civil partner or a person you live with as if you are married or are in a civil partnership.

To get a TV licence payment from Social Security you must make a claim within a 3-month period around the time your licence is due for renewal. But if you don’t claim your TV licence payment in the normal 3-month period you may still qualify for a TV licence payment if you had good reason for making your claim late.

You can download a claim form or get one from a Social Security office, or you can contact the Income Support (Pensioners) Team on +44 1624 687020 to ask for one.

You don’t have to pay for your TV licence before you can get a TV licence payment. You can claim a TV licence payment by sending us your TV licence renewal notice with your completed claim form.

You should make a claim for each year you think you’re eligible.

If you have any questions or need any more information please call the Income Support (Pensioners) Team on +44 1624 687020 or email them at ISP@gov.im .

If you have to pay your TV licence

Information about different ways you can pay for your TV licence can be found on the TV Licensing website. Or you can call into any post office.

ARC Concessionary TV licence payments – sheltered accommodation and care home providers

If you are the provider of sheltered accommodation or a manager of a care home, you can get an ARC Concessionary TV licence payment for each of the dwellings or units of accommodation specified in the licence issued to you, in which an 'eligible resident' is living. 

An 'eligible resident' is a person who (or whose partner):

• is aged 75 or over
• has reached state pension age, but not age 75, and who is getting Income Support.

You can claim an ARC Concessionary TV licence payment at any time in the 3-month period beginning on the date your TV licence is due for renewal.

If you don’t claim your ARC Concessionary TV licence payment in the normal 3-month period you may still qualify for a TV licence payment if you had good reason for making your claim late.