BBC TV Licence fee cut for one group of Brits as £180 could be saved - here's how

BBC TV Licences are being slashed by 50% for certain households living with a specific health condition. If you are blind (severely sight impaired) and can furnish the relevant evidence, you are entitled to apply for a 50% concession. The BBC TV Licence costs £180 for the 2026-27 financial year. So a 50% reduction means you would pay just £90 instead - a welcome saving amid the ongoing Cost of Living crisis. Sadly, those who are partially sighted (sight impaired) do not qualify.

Specific documentation is also required, as outlined on the TV Licensing website. This includes either a CVI (Certificate of Visual Impairment) confirming you are certified as blind (severely sight impaired) or a BD8 Certificate confirming the same, reports Birmingham Live . Additional acceptable documents include a certificate or letter issued by a Local Authority confirming you are registered as blind (severely sight impaired), or a copy of a certificate from an Ophthalmologist (eye surgeon) stating that you are blind (severely sight impaired).

Alternatively, you can submit a tax coding notice from HMRC confirming you receive Blind Person's Allowance, or a copy of your National Registration Card signed by an Ophthalmologist stating that you are blind (severely sight impaired). Isle of Man residents can also submit DHSS documentation or a certificate confirming blindness (severe sight impairment) as proof. For Northern Ireland residents, the relevant documentation accepted is either Health and Social Services paperwork or a letter from an Optometrist.

TV Licensing states that if you or anyone in your household is blind (severely sight impaired), "regardless of their age", you are eligible to apply for a blind concession. Should you already hold a TV Licence that isn't registered in the name of the blind person, you'll need to transfer it into their name by making a first time blind application. Simply enter the existing TV Licence number for your address when submitting your application.