Help at home / Freeview switch-off
Is Freeview being switched off?
Aerial TV, including Freeview and Freesat, is planned to end, but it isn't decided yet. The government's preferred date is 31st December 2034, with 31st December 2044 as the alternative; a final decision is due in a white paper. After that, live TV would come over broadband, through Freely.
Checked 6th November 2026. We update this page the day the decision is published. How ready is your area?
Is your home ready?
Three questions. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Answer the question to see what your home needs.
Can homes near you get the broadband Freely needs?
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The timeline
23rd June 2026
Green Paper published
The government sees a strong case for moving live TV to broadband by 31st December 2034, and consults on keeping aerial TV alongside broadband until 2044 instead. ISPreview
31st August 2026
Consultation closed
The public consultation on the two options closed at midnight. Cord Busters
Due
Decision in a white paper
The government's final decision on the date and on help for households. Not yet published. Cord Busters
31st December 2034
Preferred end of aerial TV
When the current broadcast licences end. The alternative is keeping aerial TV until 31st December 2044. ISPreview
What it costs to be ready
- £0A TV with Freely built in, and broadband of at least 10Mbps.
- £89.99Once, for a Freely box such as the Manhattan Aero, for any TV with an HDMI socket.
- from £12.50A month for broadband on a social tariff, for homes on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and similar benefits. Broadband that works for Freely
The numbers
- Freeview is in around 12.9 million UK homes. GB News, May 2026
- 17% of UK households relied only on aerial TV in 2023, according to the House of Commons Library. GB News, May 2026
- Freely, the broadband replacement, needs a connection of at least 10Mbps. Freely
- The Green Paper says help for households would be industry-led, and that public funding shouldn't be assumed. Cord Busters, June 2026
Questions
- Will my TV stop working?
- Not before the decision, and not for years after it. A TV with Freely built in keeps working over broadband. Any other TV with an HDMI socket can use a Freely box, about £90, which needs broadband of at least 10Mbps.
- Do I need broadband for Freely?
- Yes, at least 10Mbps. If you're on Universal Credit, Pension Credit or similar benefits, broadband social tariffs start at about £12.50 a month.
- Is Freesat being switched off too?
- The Green Paper covers both Freeview and Freesat: TV through an aerial or a satellite dish would move to broadband.
- Will I get help to switch?
- The Green Paper says help would be industry-led: ideas include low-cost broadband for people on low incomes and cheap boxes for older TVs. It says public funding shouldn't be assumed.
- Do I still need a TV Licence?
- Yes, to watch live TV however it arrives, including over broadband through Freely, and to use BBC iPlayer.
Email me when it's decided
One email when the government publishes its decision, saying what it means for your home. Nothing else, unless you ask.
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