Unemployment > Hartz IV > Exemption from Radio and TV Charges

Exemption from Radio and TV Charges (Broadcasting Charges)

Definition, Explanation

Certain circumstances allow one to be freed from the obligation to pay radio and TV fees to the GEZ (Gebühreneinzugszentrale, fee centre of the public broadcasting). The public broadcasting services include radio, TV, web-capable computers maintained for receiving public radio or TV. Devices receiving public radio or TV compel the owner to pay broadcasting fees, even if they are stationed in vacation domiciles or in caravans. Fees are paid for a quarter of the year.

• Receivers of social welfare benefit since they are in need of support for a living
• Receivers of Hartz IV benefits, that is of unemployment benefit II or social money. Persons receiving the temporary compensatory additional benefit to unemployment benefit II cannot apply for exemption from obligation to pay broadcasting charges
• Retired receivers of basic living security benefit and persons of reduced earning capacity
• Asylum seekers
• Receivers of education-support benefit (BAföG) or occupational education support benefit (Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe) or apprentice money (Ausbildungsgeld) as long as they do not live with their parents
• Receivers of additional benefits for nursing care
• Children, juveniles, young adults who live in an in-patient facility
• Severely disabled rated “RF”, blind rated “BL” and deaf rated ”GL”
• Persons entitled to special care
• Persons receiving support benefits for nursing care, or nursing care money, or additional benefits for nursing care (Hilfe zur Pflege, Pflegegeld, Pflegezulagen)
• Persons with a tax exempt amount for reasons of need of care

This is what you need to justify your entitlement:

• Receiver of social welfare benefit: approval letter of living support benefit
• Receiver of Hartz IV benefits: certificate of benefit payment or approval letter of unemployment benefit II or social money
• Severely disabled: disabled-ID with rating RF
• Receiver of BAföG or receivers of occupational education support or apprentice money: approval letter for BAföG or the like
• Asylum seeker: approval letter
• Things that are not accepted as certificates freeing from obligation to pay broadcasting fees:
  • pension approval certificate, same for cause earning inability
  • rent and heating support approval note
  • unemployment benefit approval note
  • approval note of nursing care benefit for any care level
  • income certificates
  • rental agreement
  • bank account statement

Besides being freed from the obligation to pay broadcasting fees, the concerned persons can also file an application for reduction of telephone charges. If approved, they will get the so-called social tariff of the Telekom.

Amounts:

• Exemption from TV fee: € 17.98 per month
• Exemption from other broadcasting fees: € 5.76 per month
• Exemption from fee for combined TV and radio receiving device: € 17.98 per month
• Exemption from fee for modern receiving devices, e.g. TV via PC: € 5.76 per month

How to apply:

Even if you are not sure whether you are entitled, you should try and apply for being exempt from the obligation to pay broadcasting charges. Applying just-in-case guarantees you to be freed as soon as you meet the prerequisites.

The applicant is exempt from the obligation to pay broadcasting charges from the 1st of the month after the application letter has been delivered in the GEZ.

Tips, Checklist

• Application forms are available at your municipality or at the GEZ
• Send the application to the GEZ. You must attach to the application either a current valid approval note of your entitling support benefit or your disabled-ID with rating RF, either the original or an attested copy. A non-attested copy suffices only if the responsible authority attests on your application that you possess the original
• Do not forget to sign the application yourself, including the date
• The written application with signature and certificates has to be sent to the GEZ
• Exemption is enforced by approval of the application. There is no exemption possible for past months
• Exemption from broadcasting fee obligation is possible for a time that you are away, if it is longer than a month. For such cases, you can report absent to the GEZ by fax
• If you lose any prerequisites that have entitled you to be exempt from broadcasting fee obligation, you must immediately report it to the GEZ
• For the application you must state your “Teilnehmernummer”, personal data as postal address, birth date and family status, devices that you have already reported to the GEZ, the person who files the application and your exemption-entitling circumstances

Last update: 01/26/2010