TV license refund surprise

barnaclebill

My wife is 75 in November so following the instructions you need to apply for the free license in advance so I did expecting that in November they would cancel the standing order so we would get a few free months before we will have to start paying again when the free for over 75's ends.
About a week after applying we got a refund of about £55 in our joint account and saw that the standing order had been stopped.
Do not understand this, you need to give the NI number when you apply so they know she is only 74 at the present, any ideas why the refund.

Neil_Jones

https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/about/legislation-and-policy-AB9#link4

"Refunds of complete months on a current licence will be payable automatically when an over 75 TV Licence is issued, backdated to the beginning of the licence or the first of the month of the 75th birthday, whichever is the later."

Rodders53

Note that DD/SO monthly is effectively paying the licence as 6 months in advance and 6 in arrears. So you will have a credit due back. Hence the refund.

When the free licence ends you'll have to set up a new payment plan so be paying double for 6 months to get back into that status. https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/direct-debit

Not sure if you can use standing orders to pay any more?

I now use my reward credit card to pay for an annual licence: points make prizes.