Citizens Advice Charnwood Shares Important Advice About the TV Licence

By in Citizens Advice Charnwood

I am not sure whether or not I need a TV licence. Can you help?
Under UK law, a licence is required to watch or record any ‘live’ television content – meaning it is broadcast at that time – regardless of whether it is watched instantly, recorded for later, or streamed on demand. 
That’s not just everything on the BBC; it’s all channels and services. For example, pay TV services like Sky, and live TV on streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
It doesn’t matter what you’re using to watch TV – these rules apply to devices like laptops, phones and tablets, as well as televisions.
It’s a criminal offence to watch TV without a licence – you could be fined up to £1,000 so it’s important to pay for it.
You do not need a TV Licence if you only watch on-demand, catch-up content from non-BBC providers (e.g., ITVX, Netflix, Disney+) or non-live sports highlights. 
Ways to pay
There are many easy ways to pay for a TV Licence, including:
Online – visit the TV Licensing website at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk to pay by debit or credit card. • Phone – call us on 0300 790 6115 to pay by debit or credit card.
PayPoint – visit any PayPoint store to pay by cash or debit card. To find their nearest, to to their website https://www.paypoint.com/
Direct Debit – you can spread the cost of your licence by choosing from a range of Direct Debit options. It’s quick and easy to set up a Direct Debit, either by phone on 0300 790 6115 or online at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/
By post – you can write a cheque made payable to ‘TV Licensing’, with your name, address and postcode clearly written on the back, and send it to TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL. Do Not Send Cash.
In addition to the payment options listed above, there are various payment schemes designed to suit a range of financial circumstances, offering ways to spread the cost of the TV Licence. Our Advisers can help you with this.
If you are struggling financially and need help, contact our Local Enquiry Line on 01509 649 605 and speak to one of our Advisers. The Line is open on Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9.30am to 3.30pm.