Pay for TV Licence online - HELP!

daz_free

Hi,

Got a TV this morning therefore I need to sort a TV license. This is my first TV since moving out of my parents a few months ago, therefore didnt need to have a TV licence before today.

I went to pay for it online and decided on the monthly method but the payment plan it worked out was £29 for the next 5 months (Oct '10 - Feb '11). Seems it wants me to pay the full licence fee (£145) before March '11. I thought that I would be able to pay at the normal rate (about £12.10 a month). Indeed the payment plan shown online is £12.10 from March 2011 but £29 a month before.

Why has it worked this out online? Seems each financial year it is trying to make me pay £145 but I have not had a TV for the whole year and therefore should not be made to pay a higher monthly amount to make up for the shortfall. For example imagine if someone tried to buy a TV licence in January on a monthly basis, would they ask for 2 months of £72.50.

I'm confused, maybe it will be easier if I go and pay at the post office?!? Can you pay monthly or quarterly at the post office?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

D

talulahbeige_2

You pay for a tv licence 6mths in advance and 6mths in arrears.
Even though you will have paid in full by the end of March 11 your tv licence will be valid until Sept 11.
In april you will then start paying the lower rate over a full year, so in Sept 11 you will have paid for half of your new licence already

daz_free

Thanks for the reply talulahbeige.

It sounds crazy that you have to pay 6 months in advance! I remember when I was at uni it was not like that and could just pay for each quarter as they were.