See how many complete months you can claim back and what they are worth.
| Not needed from | Months | Refund |
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Estimate only, check with TV Licensing, which sets the final amount. Refunds count complete months from the date you stop needing the licence to its expiry date. Fees checked October 2026.
This TV licence refund calculator shows UK licence holders how much TV Licensing should pay back when they stop watching live TV and BBC iPlayer, move abroad, move into a home that is already licensed or become entitled to a free over 75 licence, using the 2026/27 fees. Enter your licence type, its expiry date and the date you will no longer need it, and you see the complete months you can claim, their value and how much you lose by waiting.
Quick answer: TV Licensing refunds each complete month left between the date you stop needing the licence and its expiry date, at one twelfth of the fee. On the £180 colour licence that is £15 a month, so five months returns £75. The TV licence refund calculator also applies the one month minimum.
In This Guide
What Is a TV Licence Refund?
A TV licence refund is money returned for the unused part of a licence you no longer need before it expires. In plain words: count the complete months from the date you stop needing it to the expiry date, then multiply by the yearly fee divided by 12. Any part month at the end is not refunded, and you must have at least one complete month left, so you can claim between one and 11 months.
Refunds have been counted in single months since 1 April 2017. Before that, only blocks of three months were refunded, which is why some older guides still talk about quarters. The fee itself rose to £180 for a colour licence and £60.50 for black and white from 1 April 2026, as set out in the GOV.UK announcement of the 2026/27 licence fee, so a month is now worth £15 on a colour licence.
How to Use the TV Licence Refund Calculator
Step 1: Choose Your Licence Type
Pick colour, black and white or the 50% blind concession. If you bought or renewed before 1 April 2026, pick the £174.50 option, because your refund is based on what you paid.
Step 2: Enter the Two Dates
The expiry date is printed on your licence and shown in your online account. The second date is when you will stop watching or recording live TV and using BBC iPlayer, or the day you move. You can apply up to 14 days ahead, so you can enter a future date.
Step 3: Choose Your Situation and Payment
Select over 75 with Pension Credit if you are switching to the free licence, because the one month minimum does not apply to you. If you pay by a payment plan, enter what you have paid so far on this licence and the tool compares it with the cost of the time already covered.
Step 4: Read Your Refund
The headline is your estimated refund. The stats show the complete months counted, the value of a month and the days in the final part month that are not refunded. The table shows how the TV licence refund calculator result changes if you stop a month later, and the month after.
How Much TV Licence Refund Will I Get?
You will get one twelfth of the fee for every complete month left, which is £15 a month on a £180 colour licence. Worked example: Tom in Bristol renewed his colour licence in April 2026 for £180 and it expires on 31 March 2027. He moves in with his partner, whose flat is already licensed, on 15 October 2026. From 15 October to 31 March there are five complete months and 17 days, so his refund is 5 × £15 = £75. If he had moved on 1 November, the time left would be exactly five months and the refund the same.
| Licence (2026/27 fee) | Value of one month | 3 months left | 6 months left | 11 months left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour, £180 | £15.00 | £45.00 | £90.00 | £165.00 |
| Black and white, £60.50 | £5.04 | £15.13 | £30.25 | £55.46 |
| Colour, blind concession, £90 | £7.50 | £22.50 | £45.00 | £82.50 |
Can You Get a TV Licence Refund If You Are Over 75?
Yes, if you are 75 or over and you or your partner living with you receive Pension Credit, you qualify for a free licence and are refunded the remaining months of your paid licence when the free one starts. Unlike the standard rule, there is no one month minimum. It is worth checking your eligibility on the GOV.UK Pension Credit pages first, since that benefit is the key to the free licence and to other help.
When Can You Cancel a TV Licence and Claim a Refund?
- You stop watching live TV and BBC iPlayer: streaming only on demand services from other providers does not need a licence.
- You move abroad or into a care home that is already covered.
- You move to an address with a licence, such as a partner's home.
- Two licences cover one address, for example after a mix up when moving.
- The licence holder has died and nobody else at the address needs it.
- You become entitled to a concession, such as the free over 75 licence.
How Long Does a TV Licence Refund Take?
TV Licensing aims to pay approved refunds within 21 days of accepting your application. Once a refund has been processed it will not be recalculated, so check your dates with this TV licence refund calculator before you submit. If you are tracking bills while you cut costs, the energy bill calculator works out what your heating and power will cost this winter.
Payment plans are harder to estimate, because what you have paid so far can be more or less than the time already used. The days between dates calculator helps you count the time used, and TV Licensing works out the final figure from what you have actually paid. The licence system itself is explained in the history of UK television licensing, though note it still describes the pre 2017 quarterly refunds. Figures checked October 2026.
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How we checked this tool: the Tools Veria Editorial Team built this tool by hand, checked it against the official rules or published standards where they apply, and tested it against worked examples. Results are estimates for planning, not personal financial or tax advice. Read our editorial policy and disclaimer, or report an error.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a TV licence refund calculated?
TV Licensing counts the complete months between the date you stop needing the licence and its expiry date, then refunds one twelfth of the fee for each. On a £180 colour licence each month is worth £15, so four months returns £60.
Can I get a TV licence refund for less than a month?
No, not under the standard rules. You need at least one complete month left before the expiry date. Over 75s with Pension Credit and blind concession holders can claim for any time left on the licence.
How much is the TV licence in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 a colour TV licence costs £180 a year and a black and white licence £60.50. Blind and severely sight impaired people pay half, which is £90 for colour.
How long does a TV licence refund take?
TV Licensing aims to pay an approved TV licence refund within 21 days. You can apply up to 14 days before you stop needing the licence, so applying early means the money arrives soon after you move.
Do I get a refund if I stop watching live TV?
Yes. If you no longer watch or record live TV on any channel or service and do not use BBC iPlayer, you can cancel and claim back each complete unused month, as long as at least one month is left.
Do over 75s get their TV licence money back?
Over 75s who receive Pension Credit, or whose partner at the same address does, get a free licence and a refund of any remaining months on their current paid licence. Over 75s without Pension Credit pay the full £180.