Sight impaired viewers urged to take advantage of TV licence concession

People who are blind, severely sight impaired, or live with someone who is, should make sure they aren’t missing out on a concessionary TV Licence which allows them to save 50 percent on the cost.

TV Licensing has been working with Director of RNIB Northern Ireland to make sure anyone who is eligible to receive the concession is aware and takes advantage of the reduced TV Licence fee.

There are 27 blind licences in force in Carrickfergus. Nationally, the number of blind concessionary licences has risen by 4 percent this year, with 41,392 blind concessionary licences issued in the UK1, up from 39,700, the previous year.

Increasing numbers of BBC shows are provided with Audio Description (AD), with over 20 percent of BBC output now audio-described.

The service on digital TV, which allows you to hear a verbal description of what is happening on screen in between the dialogue, makes programmes more accessible to people with sight loss.

As well as those who are blind (severely sight impaired), live-in carers or family members could also benefit from the concession and enjoy AD programming themselves.

A blind concession TV Licence costs £72.75 for colour and £24.50 for a black and white TV Licence.

If you live with someone who is eligible and already have a full fee TV Licence in your name, you can transfer the licence to the name of the person who registered as severely sight impaired and halve the cost.

To do this, simply fill in the form available at tvlicensing.co.uk/blind or contact TV Licensing on 0300 790 0366.

Those who use a digital box used to produce sound only, do not require a TV Licence provided it cannot display TV programmes. Anyone who does not watch or record live TV on any device can let TV Licensing know by completing an online declaration at tvlicensing.co.uk/nln.