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COST OF LIVING

EXPLAINED: What you need to know about Switzerland’s TV licence

Almost everyone who lives in Switzerland is required to pay the TV and radio licence. Here are the key points.

Published: 24 October 2018 20:07 CEST
EXPLAINED: What you need to know about Switzerland's TV licence
Photo: Depositphotos

As of January 1st 2019, a new regime for Switzerland’s compulsory TV and radio licence fee came into force. 

1) A compulsory, universal fee

As of 2019, all households in Switzerland will have to pay a TV and radio licence fee. This money is used to subsidise the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and a range of private regional radio and TV channels.

Previously, only households with traditional devices like televisions and radios had to pay this fee. From next year, however, payment of the new ‘device-independent’ fee will be universal and compulsory.

This is based on the idea that new technologies including smartphones, computers and tablets can also be used to watch television and listen to radio alongside traditional technologies.

2) A cheaper fee

In 2018, households had to pay a licence fee of 451 Swiss francs (€400) regardless of how many residents they have. From 2019, the new fee is 365 francs.

From 2021 onwards, the fee was reduced to CHF355 per annum. The Swiss government announced in 2022 that further reductions were being considered due to a surplus of funds. 

Read also: Swiss vote against plan to scrap compulsory TV licence fee

Companies with a turnover of over 500,000 Swiss francs a year also have to pay the television and radio fee even if they use no televisions or radios. See here for more information on company charges.

3) A name change

Collection of household licence fees will now be carried out by Swiss company SERAFE, and not Billag as was previously the case.

For companies, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration will be collecting fees.

4) Very few exemptions

Currently, around 10 percent of Swiss households do not pay a licence fee. But that number is set to become a lot smaller in future as only households that can demonstrate they don’t have a television, radio, smartphone or other electronic device with internet access will be exempt.

Other exemptions cover households where at least one person is receiving extra pension (AHV/AVS) or disability insurance (IV/AI) support from their local commune. Diplomats are also exempt.

5) Two bills in 2019

To ensure a constant flow of money to broadcasters, the collection company SERAFE decided it will divide Swiss households into 12 billing groups, with one group for each of the month of the year.

For administrative reasons, most households actually received two bills in 2019 while the new system was being rolled out.

Read also: Swiss public broadcaster refuses to air ad for sex toys advent calendar

For members

MONEY

Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

Usually, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their kids are well taken care of financially. But can Swiss authorities force the children to return the favour in times of need?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:31 CEST
Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t  afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

 ‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child  lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year. 

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to  provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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