UK TV licence fees rise to £180 from 1 April 2026

From 1 April 2026, the annual colour TV licence will be £180, up from £174.50. The black and white licence moves to £60.50. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says the change follows the inflation formula set in the 2022 settlement, which is why the rise equates to about 46p extra a month. This is the figure to build into your budget. (gov.uk)

The legal change is made through the Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. In plain terms, this instrument updates the headline fees and rewrites the instalment tables so that each plan adds up to the new totals. It applies to TV licences issued on or after Wednesday 1 April 2026, so timing matters if your licence date falls in late March.

Let’s map who’s affected. If you need a licence in the UK, you’ll pay the new rate when your next licence is issued on or after 1 April 2026. Hotels, hospitality areas and mobile units are included, with their fee references uplifted too. If your licence is issued before 1 April 2026, the old amounts still apply for that licence period.

There are four ways to spread the cost, and all are recalculated from April: Premium Instalment, Budget Instalment, Easy Entry, and the Simple Payment Plan. Under the new rules, Budget, Easy Entry and Simple Payment Plan each total £180 across the year, while Premium Instalment totals £185. We’ll walk through what that looks like in practice so you can pick the plan that fits your cashflow.

Budget Instalment first. This is the familiar option many households use. Several starting amounts tick up slightly. For example, one common upfront payment moves from £90.00 to £91.00; another moves from £72.00 to £76.00. Smaller upfront choices rise too, such as £33.00 to £34.50 and £12.50 to £13.00. After the first payment, the monthly or fortnightly amounts increase by small steps so that the year’s total reaches £180. Think of this as the same timetable you know, with a few pounds added to the opening and follow‑on payments.

Easy Entry is designed to keep each instalment small. The schedule now sets 25 instalments, with the first 21 payments at £7.00 and the final 4 at £6.50. This keeps the running total to £180 while smoothing the early weeks. If you prefer to chip away in smaller chunks, this option is the most straightforward to plan for.

Premium Instalment charges a little more overall because of how the payments are structured. Individual instalments increase to £46.25, and the total across the plan is £185. If you’ve used Premium before for convenience, expect roughly a pound more every couple of months compared with last year’s tables, and a £5.50 higher annual figure than 2025’s standard licence.

The Simple Payment Plan remains available if you’re struggling financially. Government guidance confirms ongoing support to help people split the cost into smaller monthly or fortnightly amounts, with the plan recalculated to reach £180 over the year. If money is tight, this is the route to ask about first-its purpose is to reduce the risk of falling behind. (gov.uk)

Key dates help you plan. The regulations were made at the start of February and come into force on Wednesday 1 April 2026. If your renewal date is 31 March 2026 or earlier, you’ll be charged at the old rate for that licence period. If your issue date is 1 April 2026 or later, the new tables apply automatically. Put your licence start date in your calendar so you know which side of the line you fall on.

What this means for you in real life: if your licence is issued on 20 March 2026 and you’re paying by Budget Instalment, you’ll remain on the 2025/26 amounts for that year. If your licence is issued on 5 April 2026, your schedule will switch to the new amounts and the total you’ll pay across the year will be £180 (or £185 if you actively choose Premium). If you’re unsure which plan you’re on, check your TV Licensing account or the notice you receive-your instalment table will mirror the new figures from April. (gov.uk)