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Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Thousands could be eligible to 'cancel TV licence fee' after BBC rule change
A little known rule around the TV licence fee has been revealed that could save households a significant amount of money each year - but millions could be missing out A lesser-known TV Licence rule that could save 475,000 people £174.50 annually has been highlighted. It's been confirmed that UK households can reduce their BBC TV Licence fee from £174.50 to nothing, offering a significant saving amid the current cost of living crisis. The fee is applicable to any household that watches or records programmes as they're being broadcast live on any TV channel or views live programmes on any online TV service such as Channel 4, YouTube or Amazon Prime Video. To be eligible, you must be aged 75 or over and receiving pension credit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), potentially saving you £174.50 each year. According to Policy in Practice, there are currently 425,000 eligible individuals over the age of 75 who qualify for pension credit based on their income but have not yet applied. The free TV licence scheme for those aged 75 or over was modified in August 2020. You can now apply for a free TV licence if you're over this age and either you or your partner living at the same address is receiving Pension Credit. This can be Savings Credit or Guarantee Pension Credit, Yorkshire Live reports, reports the Daily Record. The TV licence needs to be registered under the name of the person in your household who is 75 or older and receiving Pension Credit. UK households have been advised that a free licence will not be given automatically. To find out if you're eligible for a free TV licence, give TV Licensing a ring on 0300 790 6071. You can also apply through this channel. If you're applying online or by post, you'll need to provide two pieces of evidence that confirm you're receiving Pension Credit and are aged 75 or over. Your passport or driving licence can usually be used as one piece of evidence. Ensure the name you use to apply for your free TV licence matches the one held by the DWP. If the licence at your address is under someone else's name, you'll need the existing licence number when applying for your free one. A free TV licence covers everyone living in your home, regardless of their age. If no one in your household receives Pension Credit, you'll have to fork out for your TV licence. There are other situations where people can get a hefty discount on their TV licence. For instance, if you live in residential care or sheltered accommodation, you're entitled to a discount. If you're residing in a qualifying residential care home, sheltered accommodation or supported housing, you can get a TV Licence for just £7.50. To qualify, you must also be either retired and over 60 or disabled. Your housing manager can check if you're eligible and apply on your behalf. On the other hand, if you're registered as blind or severely sight impaired, or share a home with someone who is, you can claim a 50 per cent discount. The licence has to be in the name of the person who's blind. If it isn't, a new application can be submitted to transfer it into their name.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
UK households urged to check on this service at home after major BBC rule change
A little-known TV Licence rule means approximately 475,000 households could be missing out on annual savings of £174.50. Here's how to check whether or not you're eligible You could well be missing out on savings of £174.50 every single year, without even realising it - a potentially significant boost amid the ongoing Cost of Living crisis. Eligible individuals could well see their BBC TV Licence reduced to exactly £0, all thanks to a little-known rule. And around 475,000 households up and down the UK could benefit. If you're over the age of 75 and if you, or your partner living at the same address, are claiming Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) pension credit, whether that be Savings Credit or Guarantee Pension Credit, you will qualify for a free TV licence. However, this isn't an automatic process, and there are some things you should be aware of... As previously reported by Birmingham Live, you can check whether or not you're eligible for a free TV licence by phoning up TV Licensing on 0300 790 6071. You can also make your application over the phone, should you prefer. For online or postal applications, you'll need to present two pieces of evidence to prove that you're a recipient of Pension Credit and that you're aged 75 or over. A passport or driving licence can usually be used as one piece of evidence. It's important to ensure the name used in your application matches the name on DWP records. Also, if the licence at your home address is under somebody else's name, you'll need to have the current licence number to hand when making your application. If you qualify for a free TV licence, then this covers both yourself and anybody else residing at your home address, regardless of age. As previously reported by the Mirror, when the licence fee was first introduced in 1946, back when the BBC was the UK's sole broadcaster, it cost £2 - the equivalent of around £105 in today's money. As of April 1, 2025, the price was set at £174.50, with viewers seeing an increase from £169.50. The licence fee applies to households that watch or record shows as they're being broadcast live on any TV channel, or that watch live programmes using any online TV service, including Channel 4, YouTube, or Amazon Prime Video. According to students who reside at another address, which already has a licence, outside of term time, don't require a licence, and can use that TV Licence during their studies on any device that's battery powered, isn't plugged in, and isn't connected to an aerial. You also won't need a licence if you only watch the following specific types of content: streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, on-demand TV through services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on websites like YouTube, or videos or DVDS.
Daily Record
10-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
UK households advised to 'cancel TV licence' and save £174.50 after BBC rule change
Around 475,000 UK households are missing out on a £174.50 annual saving due to a lesser known TV licence rule - here's how to find out if you're eligible to get a free licence. A little known TV Licence rule that could save 475,000 people £174.50 a year has been revealed. It's been confirmed that UK households can lower their BBC TV Licence fee from £174.50 to zero, providing a notable saving amidst the current cost of living costs. The fee applies to any home that watches or records programmes as they're being broadcast live on any TV channel or watches live programmes on any online TV service such as Channel 4, YouTube, or Amazon Prime Video. Those eligible must be 75-years-old and over and receiving pension credit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), potentially saving you £174.50 annually. According to Policy in Practice, there are currently 425,000 eligible individuals over the age of 75 who qualify for pension credit based on their income that have not yet applied. The free TV licence scheme for those aged 75 or over was altered in August 2020. You can now apply for a free TV licence if you're over this age and either you or your partner residing at the same address is receiving Pension Credit. This can be Savings Credit or Guarantee Pension Credit, Yorkshire Live reports. The TV licence needs to be registered under the name of the person in your household who is 75 or older and receiving Pension Credit. UK households have been advised that a free licence will not be given automatically. You can find out if you qualify for a free TV licence by contacting TV Licensing on 0300 790 6071. Applications can also be submitted via this method. Two pieces of evidence confirming that you're receiving Pension Credit and are aged 75 or over will be required if applying online or by post. Your passport or driving licence can typically serve as one piece of evidence. Make sure that the name you use to apply for your complimentary TV licence is the same as the one held by the DWP. If the licence at your address is under a different name, you'll need the existing licence number when applying for your free licence. A free TV licence covers everyone that lives with you, regardless of their age. If no one in your home is a recipient of Pension Credit, you'll need to pay for your TV licence. Other circumstances can see people receive a substantial discount on their TV licence. For example, if you live in residential care or sheltered accommodation, you are entitled to a discount. If you stay in a qualifying residential care home, sheltered accommodation or supported housing, you can receive a TV Licence for £7.50. To meet the conditions, you must also be either retired and over 60 or disabled. Your housing manager can find out if you're eligible and apply on your behalf. Meanwhile, if you're registered as blind or severely sight impaired, or live with someone who is, you can claim a 50 per cent discount. The licence must be in the name of the blind person. If it's not, a new application can be made to transfer it into their name.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Labour freezes NHS prescription charges in England amid calls for 'sickness tax' to be scrapped
UK Government insists nine out of ten people in England should already be exempt from NHS prescription charges - FULL LIST of who should be getting them free NHS prescription charges are being frozen by Labour to help with the cost of Living crisis. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced he will keep the cost of medicine under a tenner to help hard-pressed families. Prices will stay at £9.90 per item but the move has reignited a debate about whether charges should exist at all in England. Under the Tories during the last 15 years, NHS prescription charges in England have been increased in 13 out of the 15 years. Running the NHS is a devolved issue for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where there are no prescription charges as the health service is funded entirely through general taxation. A three-month prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) will also be frozen at at £32.05, while a 12-month one will remain at £114.50. The cost of the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) certificate is also frozen. The Government said the move will save patients about £18 million next year while those already exempt from paying prescriptions will continue to be so. Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: "Freezing prescription charges is a welcome and positive step however it offers only short-term relief and does little to tackle the deep inequalities baked into England's outdated prescription system.' Sir Keir Starmer announced the freeze on a visit to a health centre in Rossendale, Lancashire. He said: "Today we are freezing prescription charges so that means they won't go over £10 and that is really significant, because very many people have to pay for prescriptions. There's a sort of cost-of-living crisis that is still very challenging for people, so this is an important measure in that.' Who can get free NHS prescriptions in England The NHS website outlines eligible groups are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions and the others which can apply for certificates that entitle them to free NHS prescriptions. Some prescribed items are always free, including contraceptives and medication given to hospital inpatients. Pregnant women and those who have had a baby in the last 12 months can get free NHS prescriptions. Age is a factor and you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you are under 16, aged 16 to 18 and in full time education or aged over 60. You are automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you are supported by certain benefits including Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance. Claimants' partners and any dependent young people under 20 who are included in the benefit award are also entitled to free NHS prescriptions. You are entitled to free NHS prescriptions if you or your partner gets the Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit with Savings Credit. Not everyone getting Universal Credit is entitled to free NHS prescriptions as it depends on your total take-home pay in the last assessment period. Visit the Universal Credit page to check if you are entitled. You can get free NHS prescriptions if you have a valid HC2 certificate. These certificates are issued to people who qualify for full help with health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. If you are receiving contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance, contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, you are not automatically entitled to free NHS prescriptions. However you could apply for help through the NHS Low Income Scheme. You can get free NHS prescriptions if you have a valid war pension exemption certificate and your prescription is for your accepted disability. You can claim money back for dental treatment, NHS travel costs, sight test, glasses or contact lenses if you receive Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability. You can get free NHS prescriptions if you suffer from certain medical conditions if you have a valid medical exemption certificate. Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: "Since June 1968, the medical exemption criteria have remained virtually unchanged, creating significant disparities in healthcare access. Estimates show that 2.79 million people in England live with at least one long-term condition but are still not eligible for free prescriptions. "The inadequacy of the current exemption list is evident: many long-term conditions aren't included simply because they weren't recognised when the criteria were established in 1968, or because people with these conditions rarely survived to adulthood at that time. Research consistently shows that patients who cannot afford their medication rely more heavily on NHS services, creating additional costs elsewhere in the system. "The freeze in prescription charges is an encouraging first step that provides some relief, but we need to build on this progress to address the deeper systemic problems. We urge the government to go further: to commit to a full review of the medical exemption list and prescription charges, with the ultimate goal of ensuring everyone with a long-term condition can access the medications they need without financial hardship." Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, which represents 6,000 pharmacies in England, said: "It is good news for patients and pharmacies that the government has taken the step to freeze the prescription charge today for the first time in three years. However, we've long called for the prescription charge to be scrapped, which acts as a barrier to some patients accessing vital medication and this is something we'd urge the government to work towards. As pharmacists, we are health care professionals and have no interest in being tax collectors.' The Prescription Charges Coalition is a group of 50 organisations calling on the Government to scrap prescription charges for people with long-term conditions in England. One member organisation is Kidney Care UK. A spokeswoman said: "Freezing the current cost is welcome but ultimately the kidney community are unfairly discriminated by the prescription charges system. England is the only country in the UK where prescriptions costs apply, and given that only 26% of people on dialysis are in full time employment, many simply cannot afford medication."
