TV Licence
Free TV licences for people aged 75 or over
From 1 April 2018 if you live in the Isle of Man and are aged 75 or over you will normally get a free TV licence from TV Licensing. But see below if you live in sheltered housing or in a care home.
You will get a free licence shortly before your current one is due to expire. You don’t need to do anything, your licence will be sent to you automatically.
If you are aged 75 or over and you live in sheltered housing or in a care home and have to pay for a reduced TV licence – called an 'ARC licence' - you will need to obtain a licence yourself and then claim the money back from Social Security. Details about how to make a claim for a 'TV licence payment' are set out below.
TV Licence payments for pensioners under 75
If you are a pensioner under age 75 and your partner (if you have one) is also 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)
Details about how and when to make a claim for a “TV licence payment” are set out below.
How and when to claim a TV licence payment
You can claim a TV licence payment at any time in the 3-month period beginning 1 month before the date your TV licence is due for renewal and ending 2 months after the renewal date. For example, if your licence is due for renewal on 1 May 2018 you can claim your TV licence payment any time between 1 April 2018 and 30 June 2018.
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 from this webpage or get one from a Social Security office or any post office.
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 your TV licence renewal notice to us with your completed claim form.
Or if you have already paid for your TV licence, send us your new licence with your completed claim form.
Take or send your claim form to:
TV Licence Payments,
Markwell House,
Market Street,
Douglas
IM1 2RZ.
Or you can take it to any post office.
You will need to claim a TV licence payment each year within the 3-month period described above.
If you have any questions please call the Income Support (Pensioners) Unit on +44 1624 687020 or email ISP@gov.im. Or you can ask at a Social Security office or any Post Office.
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 ARC Concessionary TV 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. For example, if your licence is due for renewal on 1 June 2018 you can claim your ARC Concessionary TV licence payment at any time between 1 June 2018 and 30 September 2018.
But 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.
