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You can stream on-demand TV and live BBC channels, plus thousands of hours of exclusive box sets and content. You must be covered by a TV Licence to download or watch on BBC iPlayer* – live, catch up or on demand.
Jan 15, 2024 · If you watch BBC iPlayer, you'll need a licence, but you won't for other channels' catch-up services. Confused? Don't be – this guide will take you through whether you should be paying or not, regardless of the device you watch on. TV licence fee to rise to £169.50 a year from April 2024.
What channels can I watch without a TV Licence? You can watch on demand programmes on all catch up services other than BBC iPlayer, like ITVX and All 4, without a TV Licence. You need a TV Licence to watch or stream live TV on any streaming platform, channel or device.
You don't currently need a TV licence to watch the catch-up or on-demand services of other broadcast channels, such as ITVX, All 4 or Demand 5 unless you're using them to watch live broadcasts. You can find out more about the rules that apply to watching BBC iPlayer on the TV Licensing website .
- How Much Does A TV Licence Cost in The UK?
- Who Needs to Pay A TV Licence
- How Do I Pay The TV licence?
- Who Doesn’T Need to Pay A TV licence?
- How Will The BBC Know If I’m Watching Live TV and Iplayer?
- What Happens If I Don’T Pay The TV Licence fee?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s start with the most important bit: As of April 2024, the TV Licence Costs £169.50 For A Colour TV (and £57 for a Black and White TV). In 2022, the fee was frozen for two years, so it’s been £159 until 2024, when the fee was finally increased(though not at the full rate of inflation).
Check out our handy “Do I Need A TV Licence” infographic to quickly see if you need to pay: There are two main questions to ask yourself when you’re determining whether you need a licence if you watch TV: 1. Do you watch or record ANY live TV on ANY device? 2. Do you watch BBC iPlayer on ANY device? If the answer is YES to either one of those, then...
The easiest way to pay the TV licence fee, is via the TV Licensing website, where you can set up a direct debit and other forms of payment. You can also pay via the TV Licence Phone Number: 0300 790 0368 for Direct Debit customers, or 0300 555 0286for Payment Card customers. Also, remember to be careful – there are a lot of fake TV Licence emails o...
Basically, if you answered the two earlier questions with a NO, then you most likely don’t need to pay. Here are a few examples:
This is one of the most controversial issues around TV licences, and the BBC usually remains intentionally obscure about the detection methods so as not to reveal their hand to would-be TV licence evaders. There are, however, some things we do know. First, if they suspect you need to pay a TV Licence but you’re not paying, they might send inspectio...
Failure to pay the TV licence fee is a criminal offence. If BBC inspection officers suspect you’re evading the fee (when you should be paying it), you could end up paying a fine of up to £1,000 or, in rare cases, even go to jail (if you end up in court – and then not pay the fee and the fines). While there’s often talk about decriminalising TV Lice...
Can I watch iPlayer abroad?
Theoretically speaking, your licence covers you abroad as well. In practice, iPlayer can only be used for streaming while inside the UK. You can, however, use iPlayer to download BBC programmes to your smartphone or computer, and you’re then able to watch them anywhere – within 30 days. Another option is to use a VPN – some of them (such as Nord VPN) let you watch iPlayer practically anywhere.
What if I move in with someone who already has a TV licence?
If you’re moving in with either your spouse, partner or family member, or any type of joint tenancy or joint mortgage holder, then one licence is enough for the both of you. If you already had a TV licence in your previous address, you can cancel it – and ask for a refund over your remaining months.
I’m a student – do I still need a TV licence?
In general, yes, but it’s an odd one: According to the TV Licensing website, if your parents already have a TV licence, you don’t have to pay, as long as you – That means you can watch iPlayer or live TV on your smartphone or tablet, as long as it’s not connected to the socket while you’re watching. If, however, you watch or record on a telly, or on a plugged-in desktop computer – you will need your own licence. Read more information about students on the TV Licensing website.
Your TV Licence gives you access to everything on BBC iPlayer. You can stream on-demand TV and watch live BBC channels, plus thousands of hours of exclusive box sets and content. Buy your TV Licence now. Find out more about ways to pay for your TV Licence.
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Jul 21, 2022 · If you’re in the category of people who think that you don’t need a TV Licence as long as you don’t watch anything on the BBC, there are other misconceptions about the licence fee you should be aware of. Here’s what you need to know.
