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When someone dies, notifying TV Licence is one of the key tasks for the executor or next of kin. This guide explains exactly who to contact, what to say, what documents you will need, and how long TV Licence takes to process a bereavement notification.
TV Licence bereavement contact details
Phone: 0300 790 6143 — Mon–Fri 8:30am–6:30pm; closed weekends and public holidays
Online: TV Licensing — what to do if the licence holder dies
Last verified: June 2026
Spotted a change? Email our team if a number, email, or link on this page is out of date and we'll update it straight away.
TV Licensing says that anyone who was living at the address stays covered by the existing licence until it expires. So there is no urgency if someone still lives there — the choice is between transferring the licence to them or cancelling it and claiming a refund.
Call 0300 790 6143 and TV Licensing can transfer ownership of the licence to someone else at the same address. The transfer section of the same page also gives 0300 131 1261. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6:30pm, and are closed at weekends and on public holidays.
If the property will be empty, or nobody there needs a licence, complete TV Licensing's refund and cancellation form at forms.tvlicensing.co.uk/v/refund-cancellation. You need the licence number, the licence expiry date and bank details for any refund.
TV Licensing works refunds out in whole unused months, not quarters. You must have at least one complete month left between the cancellation date and the expiry date, so a refund can be anything from one to eleven months. There is nothing to refund if less than a month remains.
If the licence was paid by direct debit from the deceased's account, cancel the direct debit with the bank once TV Licensing has confirmed the licence has been cancelled or transferred. Stopping it first can leave the licence unpaid and shorten its expiry date.
Have multiple certified copies of the death certificate ready. Banks and financial institutions each require an original or certified copy — you cannot usually pass a single copy between organisations. See our guide to how many death certificates you need.
TV Licence does not publish a processing time, so we do not give one. Ask when you notify them, and ask for a reference so you can chase it.
Accounts or services are usually frozen until the estate is administered, which means no new transactions can be authorised.
TV Licensing publishes no timescale for a bereavement notification or a refund, so the figure above is indicative only. If the property is being left empty you can also tell TV Licensing that no licence is needed there, and they will stop writing to the address for up to 12 months.
Once TV Licence receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.
TV Licence will confirm receipt of your notification and advise you of any next steps required to close or transfer the account or policy. Keep a record of all correspondence and reference numbers for the estate file.
Do not delay notifying TV Licence
Direct debits and standing orders may continue to be charged after death. Some organisations treat the estate as the debtor for any charges incurred before notification. Notifying TV Licence promptly protects the estate from unnecessary costs.
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