Care homes

The cost of a standard TV Licence rose this year, with the Government increasing the price to £174.50 in April

The cost of the standard TV Licence has seen a hike for many this year, with the Government jacking up the price to £174.50 in April. This annual fee is typically mandatory for households or businesses that watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer.

However, it might come as a surprise that certain people could be eligible for a free or discounted licence under specific conditions. These reductions could also apply to those with black-and-white TVs, which usually incur a yearly cost of £58.50 under the licence scheme.

Government guidance suggests that it’s primarily people over 75 years old who receive Pension Credit who can bag a free TV Licence. The same applies if you live with a partner who receives Pension Credit, as the licence covers everyone at a particular address.

It’s crucial to make clear that Pension Credit is different from the State Pension. It refers to a means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age on a low income, topping up weekly income to £227.10 if you’re single or £346.60 with a partner.

Those claiming Pension Credit can apply for a free TV Licence when they turn 74, but will still need to cough up until the end of the month before their 75th birthday. After this point, they will be covered by the free licence, according to the Express.

Additionally, the Government states that anyone who is blind or in residential care can apply for a discounted TV Licence. To be eligible for the residential care home discount, a person must be either retired and over 60 or disabled.

For those who are eligible, the TV Licence cost plummets to just £7.50. Housing managers at residential care homes can also make applications on behalf of residents.

Furthermore, anyone who is registered blind or lives with someone who is can get a 50% reduction on their TV Licence. This slashes the price of a colour licence to £87.25.

Government guidance explains: “The licence must be in the blind person’s name – if it’s not, you can make a new application to transfer it into their name. You’ll need to provide your existing TV Licence number when you apply.”

People over 75 who receive Pension Credit can apply for a free licence online or by telephone. The Government’s official numbers for this are 0300 790 6071 (telephone) and 0300 709 6050 (minicom).

Others who are registered blind can apply for a licence on the TV Licensing website. For more information, head to GOV.UK or the official TV Licensing website.

Why did the licence fee change?

Last year, the Secretary of State announced a 2.9% price rise, coming into force from April 1 2025, in line with annual CPI inflation.

The official TV Licensing site confirms this represented an increase of slightly more than 1p daily and marks only the second licence fee rise since April 1 2021.

The change has seen the annual colour licence fee rise to £174.50, while the black and white licence fee now stands at £58.50 per annum. Future increases in the licence fee will be tied to CPI inflation for the next four years, ending in 2027.

Now, according to a fresh Mirror report, several newspapers have speculated that the annual cost could reach £182 next year. However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport reportedly told Sky Money: “No final decision has yet been made on the exact level of next year’s licence fee. We will set this out in due course.”

The BBC TV licence is an annual fee – but not everyone needs to pay for it

Brits who only use their TV to watch four types of entertainment could be eligible for a refund worth £174.50. If you no longer require a TV Licence from the BBC, you can ask your money back – providing there is at least one full month left on it.

The TV Licence fee has been a standard expense for many people in the UK since its inception in 1946. Back then, the BBC was the sole broadcaster in the country, and the licence cost £2 – equivalent to approximately £105 today.

Despite significant changes in how we consume television, including the advent of numerous channels, streaming and on-demand platforms, this annual bill remains. Following a price increase last year, it now costs £174.50.

Even if you don’t tune into any BBC channels, many households still require a licence. For example, it’s necessary to:

• Watch or record programmes as they’re being broadcast live on any TV channel
• Watch live programmes on any online TV service – such as Channel 4, YouTube, or Amazon Prime Video

It’s also required to download or watch any BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer. However, there are four lesser-known circumstances where you can use your TV without needing to pay for a licence.

According to the Government website, you do not need a TV Licence if you only watch:

• Streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus
• On-demand TV via services like All 4 and Amazon Prime Video
• Videos on websites like YouTube
• Videos or DVDs

If these are the only things you use your television for, you do not need to pay for a licence. However, if this applies to you and you’ve already paid you could be able to get some money back.

The TV licensing website explains: “You can apply for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires, and you have at least one complete month left on it.” You can apply for a TV Licence refund up to 14 days before the date you no longer need it.

Certain people are also exempt from paying for a TV licence or qualify for a discounted rate and can therefore apply for a refund.

“If you’re eligible for an over 75 or blind concession, you can apply for a refund at any time and for any length of time left on your licence,” the TV licensing website adds.

If you’re aged 75 or over

The Government website states that you can obtain a free TV Licence if you’re 75 or older and you either:

• Receive Pension Credit
• Live with a partner who receives Pension Credit

If you’re currently receiving Pension Credit, you can apply for a free TV licence when you reach the age of 74. However, you’ll need to continue paying for your licence until the end of the month before your 75th birthday.

From then on, your free licence will cover you. You can submit an application for a free licence online here.

Residential care or sheltered accommodation

If you live in residential care or sheltered accommodation t his entitles you to apply for a discount. If you live in a qualifying residential care home, supported housing or sheltered accommodation, you can obtain a TV Licence for £7.50.

To be eligible, you must also be either:

• Retired and over 60
• Or disabled

Your housing manager can verify your eligibility and apply on your behalf.

Registered as blind

If you’re registered as blind, or severely sight impaired, or live with someone who is, you can receive a 50 percent discount. The licence must be registered in the name of the blind person – if it’s not, a new application can be made to transfer it into their name.

When applying, you’ll need to provide your existing TV Licence number. You can apply online here

A recent study has pinpointed the perfect spot to enjoy some sea air and unwind after decades of work

After years of toiling away in bustling towns and cities, it’s no surprise that many retirees crave a more peaceful existence. A recent study has pinpointed the ideal spot to enjoy some sea air and unwind after decades of graft, with a Welsh seaside town being hailed as the best place for a tranquil retirement.

This year’s list, compiled by Taking Care, is topped by the Victorian seaside destination of Llandudno. This charming town, nestled on the North Wales coast, clinched the top spot, outshining Glossop, Tynemouth and Ilfracombe.

The study took into account factors ranging from life expectancy to property prices to average care home costs, should they ever be needed.

Beyond the core statistics, the study also factored in the amount of green spaces, bingo halls, English Heritage properties and other amenities that contribute to an entertaining lifestyle.

With a population of just 19,700 according to the 2021 census, the town offers ample opportunities for socialising, but also plenty of quiet spots when you need a breather.

The town’s seafront is its heart, boasting a two-mile stretch of Victorian terraces intermingled with grand hotels, reports Wales Online.

There are numerous lovely shops, restaurants, churches, and museums to discover, and the pier boasts a selection of slot machines and a pub with views across the beach – something that residents are delighted to say feels like stepping back through time.

Ray, 80, who moved to Llandudno nearly three decades ago, told The Telegraph: “Living here is like going back 50 years.

“The older ladies still dress nicely. You can go out for walks after dark. There are no rough gangs going around swearing and fighting.”

Adjacent Conwy can also provide a delightful day trip to explore additional retailers and boutiques offering a much wider selection.

Helen Parkes, who relocated to the town with her family, added: “It’s [Llandudno] lacking in terms of retail and culture – Conwy next door has had more spent on it and has more independent shops – but living here, you do realise life’s not all about spending.”

While picturesque North Wales might be the perfect location for retirement, Scotland seems to have surfaced as one of the worst options, particularly its capital.

Amongst all the places evaluated, Edinburgh came last with an average life expectancy of 79 and an overall lifestyle score of 3.8/10, proving that city living can come at a cost.

The capital also proved to be expensive, with annual care costs in the city hitting nearly £40,000 on average, with just one care home for every 778 elderly residents.

The Girlfriend has just dropped on Prime Video and the ending of the series has left fans with their jaws on the floor as they discover what Cherry is really capable of

The Girlfriend, a new addition to Prime Video’s roster, centres around successful businesswoman, wife and mother, Laura, portrayed by Robin Wright.

Her idyllic life is thrown into chaos when her son Daniel (Laurie Davidson), the apple of her eye, introduces his new girlfriend, Cherry (Olivia Cooke).

Adapted from Michelle Frances’ novel of the same name, the series sees Laura growing increasingly suspicious of Cherry – but is she just being overly cautious?

Viewers are presented with two contrasting narratives – Laura’s and Cherry’s – both starkly different, but which one holds the truth?

Here’s everything you need to know about the shocking conclusion of The Girlfriend as fans uncover Cherry’s true colours.

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WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS

In the series finale, Daniel pops the question to Cherry after regaining some of his memory post-accident.

While Daniel prefers to keep the engagement under wraps, Cherry insists on celebrating, persuading Daniel to throw a party.

Just as things start looking up for the couple, the relationship between Howard (Waleed Zuaiter) and Laura reaches breaking point, with Howard unable to tolerate his wife’s unsettling behaviour any longer.

Determined not to let go of her suspicions, Laura pays a visit to Cherry’s father at his care home, discovering that he had survived a fall from a building while working on a construction site.

Seeking more answers, Laura paid a visit to Cherry’s mum, Tracey (Karen Henthorn), who revealed that her husband had left both herself and Cherry in debt.

Cherry had managed to find her father in the hope of persuading him to return, but in a fit of anger she had pushed him from the building.

Laura, having recorded the conversation as evidence for Daniel, arranged a meeting to explain everything to her son.

In the meantime, Cherry vandalised Laura’s gallery after discovering what she had done, leaving Laura’s lover Lilith (Anna Chancellor) devastated.

Cherry was arrested at her engagement party for criminal damage, but her mum bailed her out, although she vowed not to keep Cherry’s secret about what she did to her dad any longer.

Back at Laura’s home, Daniel confronted his mother and vented his frustration about her controlling behaviour.

Wanting him to know the truth, Laura slipped sleeping pills into Daniel’s drink so he wouldn’t try to escape when she showed him the evidence.

However, Cherry managed to break into the house and a fight broke out between Cherry and Laura, resulting in them both falling into the swimming pool.

As Daniel saw his mother trying to drown Cherry, he jumped in to rescue his fiancée and began holding his mother’s head under the water.

Cherry screamed for him to stop, but by then it was too late and Laura had drowned.

A flash forward revealed that Cherry and Daniel had gone ahead with their wedding and Cherry was expecting a baby.

In a chilling twist, Daniel stumbled upon Laura’s misplaced phone under the sideboard, revealing a recorded conversation with Cherry’s mum.

Upon hearing the shocking truth about Cherry’s violent tendencies, Daniel was forced to accept that his mother had been correct all along.

The Girlfriend is available on Prime Video.

US President Donald Trump last month returned to Scotland, a country he often references as part of his family heritage. But the island village where his mother was born has long held mixed feelings about the president

Last month, US President Donald Trump returned to a nation he frequently cites as part of his family roots – Scotland. And there’s one tiny village that is particularly significant to the 79-year-old.

During the visit, which ran from July 25 until Tuesday, July 29, the President visited both of his Scottish golf courses, Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire and the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, and held talks in Aberdeen with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney.

Trump has consistently highlighted his deep personal ties to Scotland through his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born and brought up on the Isle of Lewis in the breathtaking Outer Hebrides.

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According to VisitScotland: “With dramatic landscapes, a unique Gaelic culture and fascinating history, Lewis and Harris are a great place to start your Hebridean adventure. You will be blown away by wild mountains, immense white beaches, rugged coastlines and lunar landscapes.”

Like countless Scots in the early 20th century, Mary Anne emigrated to America seeking greater prospects, reports the Daily Record. Born in 1912 in the village of Tong, roughly three miles from Stornoway, she departed the island at the age of 18 to seek employment as a domestic servant in New York.

In 1936, she married Frederick Trump, a prosperous property magnate and the son of German immigrants. The pair had five children together, with President Trump—known locally as Donald John—being their fourth child.

Mary Anne gained American citizenship in 1942 and passed away in 2000 at the age of 88. Despite his regular mentions of his Scottish heritage, the president hasn’t always received a warm welcome from inhabitants of his mother’s birthplace.

Her relatives came from the surrounding region, with the MacLeods on her paternal side hailing from Vatisker, situated just north of Tong. Tong itself boasts a distinctive heritage of political and cultural identity.

From 1919 to 1921, the village, alongside neighbouring Coll and Gress, witnessed a sequence of land raids where local men confronted absent landowners by sowing crops and splitting sheep-grazing properties into agricultural plots.

Tong’s inhabitants were considered amongst the island’s most radical. In a 1990s compilation of the Stornoway dialect, Tong’s residents were still dubbed “Bolshiveeks.”

Village folk in Tong have previously expressed annoyance over Trump’s absence of backing for the community, drawing comparisons with his sister’s and mother’s contributions.

“He never gave a penny,” residents have previously remarked, highlighting that Mary Anne MacLeod Trump helped finance the village hall’s construction during the 1970s. His elder sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, also made a significant donation of £155,000 to a local care home and the Bethesda hospice.

Locals have claimed that the president is “feeding off” the legacy of his mother and sister without giving back to the island that shaped their early years.

Tong remains a traditional crofting village, located about four miles northeast of Stornoway. Crofting, weaving of Harris Tweed, and peat cutting are still part of daily life on the island.

The area is also renowned for hosting the annual Lewis Highland Games and the Western Isles Strongman competition. Historically, Lewis was part of Norway until the 13th century, and by the 1800s, Tong’s economy relied heavily on fishing, farming and weaving.

However, widespread land clearances in the late 19th century saw many tenants displaced in favour of large-scale sheep farms and deer forests.

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BBC Breakfast star Nina Warhurst has made her return to the show after a heartbreaking family death

BBC Breakfast presenter Nina Warhurst has returned to the programme after her father’s passing.

The popular morning show was back on air on Sunday (August 3) with Ben Thompson and Nina presenting together once again.

It’s been a tough period for Nina, who recently revealed that her father had passed away peacefully in a care home on July 2 after a prolonged struggle with dementia.

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Sharing a touching black-and-white image of her hand clasped with her father’s, she penned: “My Dad died on Wednesday night. From Sunday me, my Mum and sisters spent precious time with him around the clock….singing, crying, laughing, sharing memories. On his last day we had nursing home afternoon tea, chippy chips and wine together.

“He drifted away gently with me and Amy (Nina’s sister) holding him and telling him to ‘go head. We’ll see you there soon.’ And he did. I had my hand on his heart as the ripples softened and stopped.”, reports the Express.

“A gentle end to a gentle life. So much love and laughter and sunshine across days I’ll never forget. He is in my mind all the time now as we adjust to a world without him in it.

“I can’t quite accept that’s real yet. But we think it’s really important for anyone going through this to know that the end can be peaceful and beautiful.”

Supporters immediately flooded Nina with messages of comfort at the time. One viewer commented: “Oh my darling, this is such sad news. He seemed like a beautiful soul.” Another said: “So sorry, dear Nina and family. You did him proud. Always.”

However, a few weeks later and on Sunday, Nina was back on the famous red sofa on BBC Breakfast – and fans were more than chuffed to see her back. On X, one person penned: “Lovely to see Nina this morning.”

Nina’s father Chris, had been diagnosed with mixed dementia, which is Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia, in 2022.In April this year, she spoke candidly about how his condition had affected her life.

The mum-of-three penned in an Instagram post: “I don’t think I really became a proper grownup until we had to look after my Dad. Because of dementia I lost the home I could go to and still be a child. I lost one of those few pillars of people who I knew would love me, whatever. I thought that support was lost.

But now I know that just being with him is enough. I don’t know if it’s primal, hormonal, chemical, emotional….. but leaning my head on his chest and closing my eyes for a few minutes gives me the sense of safety and love that I’ve always had and that I still need.”

BBC Breakfast airs everyday from 6am on BBC One.