If you watch live as it's being broadcast, you must have a TV licence which currently costs £145.50 per year for a colour TV. Don't pay, and you face a £1,000 fine. But with changing viewing habits, some who watch online may be paying unnecessarily...
The Government's announced plans to change who does and doesn't need a TV licence, but for now, the rules are clear.
1. If you watch TV as it's being broadcast you need a TV licence – whether on a TV, computer, tablet or mobile
If you watch or record shows as they're being shown on telly in the UK ('live TV'), you need to be covered by a TV licence. (The Government recently announced those watching catch-up on iPlayer will also soon need a licence – see below.)
What many may not realise is that this is the case regardless of the device you're watching on – according to research published by TV Licensing, over 31% don't know watching live TV on a mobile requires a licence (though in most cases you don’t need two if you already have one).
So whether you're watching live TV on a television, computer, tablet, games console, smartphone or any other device, you'll need to pay the fee.
However you do not need a TV licence if you only watch content after it's been shown on television. This includes TV programmes downloaded or streamed after broadcast using a catch-up service.
2. You need a licence to record live TV
You'll still need a TV licence if you record 'live TV' content at the time of broadcast, using a digital recorder like Sky+ or TiVo (or a good old-fashioned VHS recorder).
This is because you're recording them as they are being shown on a TV channel. It doesn't matter when you watch them, or how they were recorded - you still need a licence.
3. It isn't about whether you watch the BBC (yet)
If you watch TV programmes when they're are broadcast you must be covered by a valid TV licence, regardless of:
• Which channel you're watching
• Which device you are using to watch
• How you receive the content (terrestrial, satellite, cable, via the internet, etc).
You don't need a TV licence if you are watching catch-up services, such as BBC iPlayer or 4oD. However, as above, that may change as the Government's said it plans to make those watching catch-up TV on BBC iPlayer (but not other catch-up TV services like 4oD) get a licence. If this happens, it'll be the first time a distinction's been made between the BBC and other networks in this regard.
4. How to watch TV and legally not pay
If you watch all your favourite programmes using catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer or 4oD, it may be possible to legally ditch your TV licence completely, thus saving £145.50 per year. This is because: You can watch almost anything on catch-up: soaps, documentaries, dramas, cartoons and films. And because services such as BBC iPlayer only take a few hours to update, you could watch the latest installment of EastEnders not long after it's been on BBC 1.
• How can I cancel? If you're absolutely sure you no longer need a licence, you can formally let TV licensing know. Although there's no legal obligation to do this, it says doing so will prevent an increasing number of letters coming your way.
• Cancel payment first. If you pay by direct debit you can cancel it by filling out TV Licensing's contact form. Tell it you no longer watch TV and confirm your current address. You'll also need to cancel your direct debit with your bank. If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, you'll need to call 0300 555 0286.
• Then fill out the declaration. Everyone who no longer requires a TV licence – including those who pay in cash at certain stores or Post Offices, who don't need to do the above – can fill out a No Licence Needed declaration form. After this, keep your confirmation email from TV Licensing as proof.
• TV Licensing may visit. Once you've cancelled, you might find you get a visit from TV Licensing to check whether you actually do need a TV licence – it says these inspections find one in five households do. If you do need a licence, you'll need to pay the full licence fee, and you could risk prosecution plus a fine of up to £1,000 (or £500 if you live in Jersey, or £2,000 in Guernsey).
Is this legal? Yes, you don't need a licence so long as you are not watching live TV and are only watching on-demand or catch-up. However, TV Licensing says its figures show less than 2% of people only watch catch-up TV – so don't cancel your licence unless you are absolutely sure you don't need it.
