• / Managing your TV Licence during the Coronavirus pandemic

Managing your TV Licence during the Coronavirus pandemic

View in Welsh

Due to social distancing as a result of Covid-19 we have significantly fewer staff than usual. We are sorry but this means we are only able to provide an essential service over the phone at the moment. It is also taking us much longer to respond to emails and letters.

We appreciate this is a challenging time for many people. Please check our advice below for help on managing your licence during the current situation.


Managing your TV Licence on this website

There are still many services available on our website:

Other questions you may have

I normally pay at a PayPoint but I am self-isolating so I can't leave the house

Don’t worry, there are other ways you can make your payment. You can pay using a debit or credit card on our website and using our 24/7 automated telephone service by calling 0300 555 0300 (please have your customer number ready).

I’m struggling to afford to make any payments on my TV Licensing payment card at the moment

We appreciate that it may be particularly difficult to keep up with your payments on your TV Licensing payment card at the moment.

We're not writing to customers who fall behind with these payments at the moment. We recommend that you try and keep to your payment plan if you can as this will keep your future payments as low as possible.

If you're unable to keep up to date with your payments please call us on 0300 555 0300* and we’ll do what we can to help you. Please have your customer number to hand, and choose the option to talk to us about your account.

If you are in financial difficulty it might also help to speak to a debt advice charity. And you can find the most up to date information on financial assistance offered by the government at: gov.uk/coronavirus.

I can’t afford to make my next Direct Debit payment - what should I do?

We appreciate that in the current situation you may be struggling to keep up with your payments.

If you need to urgently stop a Direct Debit payment, please call us on 0300 790 6068* and we’ll do what we can to help you. Please have your licence number to hand and choose the option to cancel your licence.

If you’re not able to speak to a member of our team, you can cancel your Direct Debit with your bank. This can usually be done online.

Please be aware that you'll receive an automated letter from us asking you to set this up again. We are sorry but we are currently unable to stop these letters being sent.

To keep your monthly payments as low as possible we recommend that you set up your Direct Debit again as soon as you can.

I need to cancel my licence (and apply for a refund)

You can cancel your licence if you no longer:

  • watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel
  • watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, NOW TV, Sky Go)
  • download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

If you need to cancel your licence (and receive a refund if applicable) please call us on:

0300 790 6068* – If you pay by Direct Debit or all in one go. Please have your licence number to hand and choose the option to cancel your licence.

0300 555 0300* – If you pay by TV Licensing payment card. Please have your customer number to hand and choose the option to cancel your licence.
 

I’m over 75 and don’t know what I need to do about my free TV Licence

Due to the impact of Coronavirus the BBC has delayed the planned changes to the free over 75 TV Licence. This means your current free licence will now cover you until 31 July 2020. You don’t need to do anything now.

You can find out more about changes to the free TV Licence.
 

Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Please ask our virtual assistant


*Our contact centre is open Monday to Friday: 08:30 to 18:30. We are closed on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Calls to our 0300 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number, whether from a mobile or landline. If you get inclusive minutes with your mobile, calls to an 0300 number will be included.

 
 

General information about TV Licensing is available in other languages:

© 2020 TV Licensing