Does my first year of TV Licence payments cost more?

Your first twelve months of payments come to around £270, against a £180 licence. You're not being charged twice — the difference is credit held against your next licence. If you cancel, TV Licensing refund complete months you haven't used, as long as there's at least one full month left to run. You can also pay quarterly or annually. Quarterly payments add £5 a year; annual payment means paying the full licence fee in one go.