TV Licensing

TV Licence refund and cancellation

Find out when you should cancel or move your licence, and how to request a refund.

When should I cancel my TV Licence?

I no longer watch or record live TV or download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer

You can cancel your licence and may be eligible for a refund if, before your licence expires, you won't be:

• watching or recording any programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel, or
• watching or streaming programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.), or
• downloading or watching any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

This applies to any device or provider you use, including:

• TV sets (including smart TVs)
• DVD, Blu-ray and VHS recorders
• Laptops and desktop computers
• Tablets, mobile phones and other portable devices
• Digital boxes or PVRs (such as Sky, Virgin Media or BT TV)
• Games consoles
• Media streaming devices (such as Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku and Now TV)
• Freeview, Freesat or YouView

Cancel your licence or request a refund

I’m moving to an address that already has a TV Licence

If someone at your new address already has a TV Licence that will cover you, you can cancel your licence up to two weeks before you move.

You will normally be covered if the other person is your spouse, partner, family member or joint tenancy or joint mortgage holder. If you’ll have a single tenancy agreement or are a lodger at the new address, you will need your own licence. In this case you should move your licence to your new address.

Cancel your licence or request a refund

I’m 75 years old or over, or I’m living with someone who is

If you (or someone you are living with) are 75 years old or over you could be entitled to a free over 75 TV Licence. You can apply for a free over 75 TV Licence to cover anyone living at that address. Once you have this licence, you can cancel your old one. This will make sure that your address isn’t unlicensed for a period of time.

Anyone aged 74 or over and receiving Pension Credit can apply for a free over 75 TV Licence. Pension Credit can be in the name of the licence holder, or in their partner’s name if they’re a couple and live at the same address.

If you or your partner don’t receive Pension Credit you’ll need to continue to pay for your licence.

More information about how to apply

As part of the over 75 application you will be issued a refund if you are due one.

I’m moving into a care home

You should find out if your care home already has a TV Licence that will cover you. If it does, you should cancel your existing licence and may be eligible for a refund. If not, you should move your licence to your new address.

If you are over 75 and eligible for a free TV Licence, as part of the application you will be issued a refund if you are due one.

• If you paid for your licence by Direct Debit or TV Licensing payment card, you may be able to apply for a refund. If so, your licence will be cancelled automatically once your refund is approved.
• If you paid for your licence in one single payment, your administrator will fill in a form on your behalf. They should write to us at TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL.

You can still cancel your licence even if you’re not eligible for a refund. Please ask the administrator to write to us with:

• your TV Licence number (if you have one),
• your old address,
• the date you moved into your care home, and
• confirmation of either your age and retired status, or your disability.

Once we have received this information in a signed letter from the person in charge of your scheme, we will cancel your licence.

What if my new care home or accommodation doesn’t qualify?

If you can’t be covered by your care home or accommodation’s licence, you may need your own licence. In this case you should move your licence to your new address.

You may be eligible for a concession if you are aged 75 or over receiving Pension Credit, or you are blind and can provide the appropriate evidence. Find out more about moving to a residential care home or sheltered accommodation.

I’m moving abroad

If you’re no longer going to be living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man and you won’t need your licence again before it expires, you can cancel your licence and may be able to request a refund.

Cancel your licence or request a refund

The licence holder has died

If a TV Licence is still needed at the address

Anyone who was living with the deceased licence holder will still be covered by the existing TV Licence.

If the licence is a free over 75 licence, it will remain valid until the licence expires. The person still living at the address will then need to renew the licence.

• If the person is 74 and receives Pension Credit, they could be entitled to a free over 75 TV Licence. They can apply when they turn 74 and we’ll adjust the payments automatically.
• If the person will be 75 or over and receives Pension Credit they will be eligible to apply for their own free over 75 TV Licence.
• If the person won’t be 75 or over at that time, they just need to give us their name when they renew the licence.

If the licence is not a free over 75 TV Licence, get in touch to let us know the licence holder has died. Please also tell us the name of the person still living at the address so we can move the licence to them.

If a TV Licence is no longer needed

If no one else is living at the address and the licence is no longer needed, it can be cancelled and a refund may be due to the personal representative of the licence holder.

We will just need to know the licence holder’s title, initial, last name, address and licence number (where possible). If you are the administrator or executor, please provide this information by:

• filling in our online contact us form,
• calling us on 0300 790 6131*, or
• writing to us at Customer Services, TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL.

I have two licences for the same address

If you have two licences at the same address, you can cancel your licence and may be eligible for a refund.

Please note that some addresses need more than one licence, like those with tenants or lodgers, for example.

You could also have an extra licence because the type of licence has changed. For example, you may now qualify for a free over 75 TV Licence or a blind concessionary TV Licence.

Cancel your licence or request a refund

When should I move my TV Licence?

I’m moving home

If you’re moving home within the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, you can simply move your licence to your new address up to three months before you move. There’s no need to cancel it.

You can also update other details online at the same time. You may have changed your name, email address or telephone number, for example. You’ll just need your licence number with you.

Move your licence

Not moving in straight away? Tell us your new property is empty.

Find out more about moving home.

I want to pass my licence on to someone else

You can transfer your TV Licence to someone living at your address that is covered by your existing licence. You will need to give your written permission for us to transfer the licence. Please write to us at:

TV Licensing
Darlington
DL98 1TL

Please include the following details in your letter:

• your name,
• address,
• TV Licence number, and
• the new licence holder’s name.

If the other person moves in after you moved out, you should cancel your licence if it’s not needed at that address. Then the new resident will need to buy their own licence. Please use our contact us form and tell us when you moved out of your address.

How to cancel your licence or request a refund

How to cancel your licence

Please check that you won’t need your licence again before it expires. That means you won’t ever be watching live TV on any channel or service, or downloading or watching BBC programmes in iPlayer.

Covid-19 update – Due to the current situation, you may be able to cancel your licence if you aren’t sure if you’ll need it again before it expires.

• If you paid in full or pay by Direct Debit, use our Contact us form. Tell us why you’re cancelling, your current address (and your old address if you’ve moved).
• Once you’ve done this, make sure you cancel your Direct Debit with your bank, if this is how you pay.
• If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card: please call us.

How to request a refund

You may be eligible for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires, and you have at least one complete month left on it. Find out more about how we work out refunds.

Covid-19 update – Due to the current situation, you may be able to cancel your licence if you aren’t sure if you’ll need it again before it expires.

There’s a short form to fill in and we may ask for evidence to support refund requests. Once you’ve applied, we’ll look carefully at your details and will let you know whether we can offer you a refund.

If we approve your refund, your licence will be cancelled automatically. If you’re not eligible for a refund, you can still cancel your licence.