TV licence - paying double?

[Deleted User]

I have just bought a TV after not having one for almost 2 years. I have set up a Direct Debit. The cost is £159 for the year but the Direct Debits are set up for £26.50 a month for 6 months, which equals £159, then £13.25 a month for the following 12 months. This means I am paying £318, not £159, for a year’s licence. It doesn’t make sense if the licence is meant to be £159 a year. I genuinely did not have a TV until yesterday and haven’t even turned it on. 

Detail_Merchant

From https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/direct-debit
You’ll usually pay for your first licence over six months, at around £26.50 a month. If we have to spread the cost across less than six months, each payment may be slightly higher. After this, you pay for your next licence in 12 monthly instalments of around £13.25 – six payments before your licence is due to be renewed, and six after.
So from April - September 2022 you are paying for your 12 month licence that covers April 2022 - March 2023
Then from October 2022 - September 2023 you are paying for your 12 month licence that covers April 2023 - March 2024, half in advance of the start date, half in arrears.

iniltous

As already stated, you don’t simply pay the yearly fee in equal 12 instalments, you pay the whole 1st year amount over the first 6 months , ( you get an interest  free loan for 6 months ) you then start paying for your next licence 6 months before it’s due ( so you are lending them your money for 6 months) , then assuming you continue to be a licence payer you continue to pay the  lower fee …it’s not an error or a scam , it’s just the way it is….so on your figures you are not paying £318 for 12 months of licence but for 18 months of licence , you are always paying 6 months in advance , should you ever cancel your licence and are ‘in credit ‘ they should refund  any full months payed for in advance.

Tranboy

It's not difficult in these times of hardship to see why so many can't or won't pay it, having looked on YouTube there are of course the belligerent who will never pay even though they can well afford it.

wild666

The only way to pay the yearly fee is in one instalment of whatever they want for the year.
The other option is by their weekly payment plan but pay only £13.25 per month in advance. They will complain and might even cancel the payment card but at least paying in advance you would be in front with the payment. 

When I questioned the weekly £6 payment option a few years ago, I think the licence was £150.50 then, they responded by saying that the £6 drops after 6 months to around half of the £6 weekly fee, that's something they don't say if the person opts for the weekly payment option! People could end up paying £6 for years if not decades meaning they wouldn't have to pay for a licence for years or be due a refund of hundreds or thousands of pounds.