Nursing home - TV Licence

pimento

I've looked at the TV Licence site but what I want to know isn't clear so I wonder if anyone here can answer. I don't want to call them until I know what's what as I don't trust them to give me the correct information.

My husband is 58 and is terminally ill. His prognosis is for anything from a few days to a few months. He went into a nursing home three weeks ago and will stay there until he dies. He has his own room.
I took a portable TV in when he moved in so he could watch it. He is completely deaf and his eyesight isn't wonderful but the TV keeps him company when he is awake and I'm not there (I work full time).

The TV Licensing site says that if he is over 75 he qualifies for a reduced rate of £7.50 but it also mentions disability including deafness. My husband went deaf as part of the spread of his cancer to his brain.

Does my husband qualify for the reduced rate? Or will they want him to pay for a full licence?

JJ_Egan

Does the Nursing Home not have a licence ??

pimento

The way I read the TVL site, the nursing home doesn't have a licence for the individual rooms, just for the TVs in the lounges. The rooms are the responsibility of the residents.

pimento

Here is the link

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/care-home-residents-aud4

Interestingly, it only mentions care homes which are different from nursing homes.

I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and call them.

pimento

Just spoke to TV Licencing. The nursing home may have a licence that covers them all but if they don't, I will have to buy a full licence for his room.

Hm. I might just not bother and see how long it takes them to find him. I can almost guarantee that he will be dead before it gets to court.

HappyMJ

pimento wrote: »

Just spoke to TV Licencing. The nursing home may have a licence that covers them all but if they don't, I will have to buy a full licence for his room.

Hm. I might just not bother and see how long it takes them to find him. I can almost guarantee that he will be dead before it gets to court.

Exactly and the TVL inspectors won't be allowed to wander around the property so nothing to worry about.

If you would like to support the BBC then buy a licence otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think a criminal record at his age would make much difference anyway. It's not as if he'll be going to prison for non payment.

pimento

I have a licence at our home, I bought one for our son while he was at university. My husband would still be at home if I could manage the full-time care he now needs. It seems a bit unfair that a person in his position doesn't qualify for a rebate/discount.

He does seem to fall between the cracks because he isn't 65.

pimento

Oh and I'm right in thinking that he is responsible for his TV licence and not me? (If they do decide to come looking for him.)

Cornucopia

If you have a licence at home, you could provide a battery-powered TV for you OH, that would be covered by your licence.

Depending on what he gets from the TV, you could also give him just a DVD player, and no TV reception, which would not need a licence at all.

pimento wrote: »

Oh and I'm right in thinking that he is responsible for his TV licence and not me? (If they do decide to come looking for him.)

I think so. Even if you had power of attorney, I can't see that making a huge difference.

HappyMJ

pimento wrote: »

Oh and I'm right in thinking that he is responsible for his TV licence and not me? (If they do decide to come looking for him.)

Yes he is responsible and if caught he will have to appear in court if he chooses his right to defend himself. The judge will probably just give him a token fine if it gets that far. If he dies before the case gets to court TVL will withdraw the case.

edit: I really can't imagine a TVL inspector will bother interviewing him. He needs to admit it to them so the TVL have evidence to take to court. If he doesn't admit it then they have no evidence and no evidence means no court case.

pimento

I'm loathe to buy yet another TV (I never knew battery powered ones existed) and he is bed bound so although his current TV has a built-in DVD player, he doesn't use it because he can't reach the TV from his bed.