Who Gets a Free TV Licence?
Only two routes lead to a £0 TV licence in 2026, and most of the things people assume qualify them do not. Here is exactly who pays nothing, and the age and disability myths cleared up.
The short answer
There are two ways to get a TV licence for £0. You are 75 or over and you or your partner receive Pension Credit, or you genuinely never watch live TV on any channel and never use BBC iPlayer. There is no free licence at 60, 70 or 80 on age alone, no free licence for pensioners generally, and no general free licence for disability. Everyone else pays the standard £180/year.
The Two Ways to Pay Nothing
1. Over 75 and on Pension Credit
£0/year
If you are aged 75 or over and you or your partner receive Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit, Savings Credit, or both), the BBC funds your licence in full. It covers everyone living at your address.
Apply through the TV Licensing over-75 service on 0800 232 1382 with proof of Pension Credit. Full over-75 rules →
2. No live TV and no iPlayer
£0/year
If you never watch live broadcasts on any channel or device and never use BBC iPlayer, you do not legally need a licence. On-demand Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and catch-up on ITVX, Channel 4 and My5 are all fine without one.
File a no-licence declaration to stop the enforcement letters. How to declare →
What Does Not Get You a Free Licence
| Common belief | Free? | The reality |
|---|---|---|
| Free TV licence at 60? | No | There is no age-60 concession of any kind. You pay the standard £180/year. |
| Free TV licence at 70? | No | Age 70 brings no concession. The only age threshold is 75, and even then only with Pension Credit. |
| Free TV licence at 75? | Only with Pension Credit | Since 1 August 2020, turning 75 is not enough on its own. You or your partner must receive Pension Credit. |
| Free TV licence at 80? | No (same rule as 75) | There is no separate over-80 concession. An over-80 household still needs Pension Credit to pay £0. |
| Free TV licence for disabled people? | No general free licence | The only disability concession is a 50% discount (£90/year) for severely sight-impaired (blind) registration. There is no free or discounted licence for other disabilities or for deaf viewers. |
| Free TV licence for all pensioners? | No | Being a pensioner does not qualify you. You must be 75 or over and on Pension Credit, or genuinely not watch live TV or BBC iPlayer. |
The universal free over-75 licence ended on 1 August 2020. Since then, age on its own never reduces the fee. The only concessions that lower the cost are the over-75 Pension Credit free licence, the 50% discount for severely sight-impaired households, and the £7.50-per-room ARC scheme for residential care.
Not Free, but Cheaper
Two further concessions reduce the cost without making it free. If a search brought you here looking for a disability or care-home concession, these are what actually exists.
Severely sight-impaired (blind): 50% off
£90/year
Half the standard £180 fee for households where a member is registered as severely sight-impaired (CVI required). The B&W equivalent is £30.25. This is the only disability concession.
Care home residents (ARC scheme)
£7.50/room
Residents in qualifying residential care or sheltered housing are covered at £7.50 per room per year, administered by the care provider rather than the resident.