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TV Licence

A TV Licence is required for any UK household that watches or records live television (on any channel or service) or uses BBC iPlayer. It is administered by TV Licensing on behalf of the BBC, and the standard colour licence is renewed annually.

When the licence holder dies, the licence does not transfer automatically to anyone else in the household. The executor or next of kin tells TV Licensing about the death by phone on 0300 131 1261 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.30pm) or through the online cancellation form on tvlicensing.co.uk, and chooses one of three actions:

  • Cancel and claim a refund for complete unused months of the licence, paid to the estate.
  • Transfer the licence into another household member's name if someone is staying in the property and watching live TV or using iPlayer. The transfer line is 0300 790 6143.
  • Confirm a no-licence-needed declaration if the surviving residents do not watch live TV or use iPlayer.

If someone at the address is 74 or over and gets Pension Credit, they can apply for the over-75 licence, which they do not pay for from age 75; the line is 0300 790 6117. The standard licence fee, £180 a year from 1 April 2026, is set by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and reviewed annually; the most recent figure is published on tvlicensing.co.uk. [source: gov-uk/tv-licence-2026-11-01.html] [source: gov-uk/free-discount-tv-licence-2026-11-01.html]

→ Closing utility accounts after a death

Last verified: 2 November 2026 against tvlicensing.co.uk, refunds and cancellations.

AfterLoss

Our closing utility accounts after a death guide covers the TV Licence alongside energy, water, broadband and phone providers. The Communications Kit provides the script for the TV Licensing call, including the bereavement-related refund where it applies.