Do Blind People Have to Pay for a TV Licence?

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If the Blind Person is not the licence payer.

As of the 1 August 2020, the BBC scrapped free TV licences for the over 75s unless they receive pension credit. However, you may be able to apply for the Blind Persons TV Licence Concession.

What reductions are available?

You can get a Free TV licence if:-

You are over 75 and get pension credit
You are over 75, and regardless of if you get pension credit you live in a care home that has an ARC (Accommodation for Residential Care Licence), you need to speak to the care home administrator to see if this applies to you.

You can get a 50% reduction in the cost of a TV Licence if

You or someone you live with is Blind/Severely sight impaired regardless of their age.

You don’t need a TV licence if:-

You receive TV signals by a digital receiver that can only play sound and not display a picture.

You are eligible for a 50% reduction in the cost of your TV Licence If you or someone you live with is registered Blind or Severely Sight Impaired. For a Colour TV, that’s £79.50, and for a Black and White TV, it is £26.75 (as of 18 December 2023).

How to apply

To apply for the Blind Persons TV Licence concession you can contact TV Licensing on 0300 790 6083 or visit their website at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/blindseverely-sight-impaired-aud5

When you first apply for the Blind person concession, you will need to provide proof that you are Blind or Severely Sight Impaired, this can be either a copy of:-

Your CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) or BD8 Certificate
A certificate or document issued by a Local Authority that shows you are registered as blind (severely sight impaired)
certificate from an Ophthalmologist (eye surgeon), stating that you are blind (severely sight impaired

Sight airedale is unable to provide you with proof of your visual impairment. Your GP (they may charge for this) or Hospital should be able to provide you with evidence of your visual status.

If the Blind person is not the licence payer, you will need to transfer the TV licence into their name, assuming they are over 18 for more information on how to do this visit the TV Licensing website or call them on 0300 790 6083. You will need to have your current TV licence number available.

How to get a refund

If you are currently paying for a full TV licence, you can apply for a refund from the date that you became registered Blind or April 2000, which is when the scheme started. You will need to be able to show that you were registered blind at the time you purchased the licence.