refund

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

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Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels but her brother-in-law tragically died the day before and she now claims that she has been denied a £380 refund

A woman says she is “fuming” with Ryanair for a lack of “empathy” claiming the airline refused a £380 refund after she cancelled a booking due to a family bereavement.

Mary McHale was due to fly from Dublin to Brussels for a girls weekend away in December last year but sadly, one day before she was due to fly, her brother-in-law Alan McHale, passed away suddenly, aged 61. The 54-year-old claims she reached out to Ryanair immediately to request a cancellation and was told via online chat that she needed to provide a death certificate before the flight took off.

She claims she couldn’t get her hands on a death certificate that soon and was also busy supporting her husband, Colin, 55, in his grief, which led to Ryanair refusing her £380 refund.

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“I’m absolutely fuming,” Mary, from Dublin, told Need to Know. “There’s no empathy. It didn’t matter how sad my case was, they weren’t interested. I’ll never fly with Ryanair again. Alan passed away suddenly three days before I was due to fly.

“The funeral service would be on the morning of the holiday. There was no way I was leaving my husband. A death certificate is a very official document and we couldn’t get it in time. Even if we could, there was no way I was going to ask the family for it while they were grieving so I could get a refund.

“I tried to appeal to Ryanair and said it wasn’t physically possible to get the certificate. We didn’t get it until January.” Mary says battling Ryanair while grieving only added to her heartbreak and made an already difficult time even more stressful.

She said: “Alan had Motor Neurone Disease and ended up getting an infection and pneumonia so it was quite sudden in the end. We were trying to organise the service. I couldn’t ask my sister-in-law for it while she was grieving her husband.

“I was grieving too. This was the last thing we needed. It was so stressful and I’m so frustrated by it. I didn’t even mention it to the family because I didn’t want to make them feel any worse. I kept chasing Ryanair up but they stopped talking to me and closed the case. There needs to be a management review. There need to be some discretion.”

In a online chat message, a Ryanair worker allegedly told her: “I wish to inform you that Ryanair tickets are non- refundable. This is clearly stated in our Terms and Conditions, agreed to at the time of purchase.

“Changes to flight dates, routes, times and customer names can be made online or by contacting our Customer Services Department prior to the initial date of travel. Change fees and possible fare difference will apply.

“I sympathise with your circumstances but I am not in a position to process your refund request and recommend that you contact your travel insurer with regard to this matter.”

In a follow-up message she claims was told: “Whilst I have noted your continued dissatisfaction, I regret that the position remains unaltered. As per our previous correspondence, as the Terms and Conditions state clearly.

“You must make your claim before the date of the flight and provide a copy of the death certificate”, therefore I cannot accede to your refund request.”

A Ryanair spokesperson said: “All Ryanair air fares are non-refundable.

“This passenger was correctly advised that she is not entitled to a refund for her Dublin to Brussels return flights (18 December 2024) as per Ryanair’s T&C’s, which this passenger agreed to at the time of booking.”

FORMER University students could be owed £1,000s in overpaid loans – here is how to check if you can get a refund.

In the last tax year, over one million third level education leavers overpaid their student loans, according to figures released by the Student Loans Company (SLC). 

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But there are a number of reasons you may have been overcharged on your loan.

According to MoneySavingExpert, this includes beginning to repay the loan during some months, despite not earning enough in the full year.

You are only required to pay your loan back once your income exceeds a certain annual threshold.

This varies depending on what type of plan you were on when you started university. There are five plans in total.

For example, those on Plan 1, who attended university between 1998-2011 are required to earn a minimum of £26,065 before they begin paying back their loan.

Minimum earnings thresholds vary from plan to plan, with those on Plan 2 who attended university between 2021-22 being required to earn £28,470 before they start making repayments.

The blog said that if your earnings vary throughout the year, i.e. if you received a bonus, this could lead you to start making repayments before you are actually required to.

Another reason you may have overpaid is if you were put on the wrong plan.

This can happen if you filled in the student loan section of the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) starter checklist form wrong.

You can check which plan you are on by visiting the Gov.uk website.

Alternatively, you may be overcharged if you began repaying your loan too early or you had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid.

How to get a refund if you have overpaid

If you think you have been overcharged, you can get the money back and there a few ways you can go about this.

The blog said that former students who began repaying the loan despite not meeting the earnings thresholds can request a refund online.

This is done via the government’s Student Loan Company (SLC) online portal.

To do this, you will need to sign in to your online repayment account and select ‘request a refund’.

Once you’ve requested a refund through your online account, it will be processed in 28 days.

The money will get paid into your bank account.

It is also worth nothing that this only applies for tax years up to 2023-24.

More ways to claim

Alternatively, students can speak to their employer or call the SLC.

This may be applicable if you entered the wrong plan when filling out an HMRC starter form.

Ahead of your call, you can check what plan you are on in your online account and download an ‘active plan type letter”.

You can call on 0300 100 0611 to discuss the matter with the SLC.

You can also call the helpline if you began repaying your loan too early.

The MSE blog said: “When you get through, explain your situation and ask to reclaim the money you’re owed.

“To make the process smoother, before ringing see if you can dig out any old payslips, your payroll number, and/or your PAYE reference number.”

There is no restriction on how far back you can claim, so if you think you may have been affected years ago you can still ring up.

If you had money deducted after the loan was fully repaid, HMRC should pay you back this money automatically, 

Readers of the blog have claimed back as much as £3,773 by using these methods.

One said: “Thank you so much. I knew something wasn’t right when I lodged my tax returns and reading Martin’s article was the catalyst for a sustained attempt to work out what had happened. I received £3,773 back.”

While another said the process only took 15 minutes.

They explained: “I spent 15 minutes on the phone and got £555 back for overpayments on my student loan.

“Most was because of my maternity leave. Thanks so much, couldn’t have come at a better time.”

How student loan plans work

If you wish to attend university you may take out a loan to help cover the costs.

The loan is paid directly to the university or college on your behalf.

Repayments start from the first April after you finish or leave your course.

You repay 9% of your income above the repayment threshold.

This means that the majority or basic-rate taxpayers lose 37p for every £1 they earn above the threshold – 20p as income tax, 8p as national insurance and 9p for a student loan.

Your repayment threshold will vary depending on when you studied at university.

Interest is charged on your loan from the day you receive the first payment until it is repaid in full.