how do tv licence catch you
If you don’t have a valid TV licence, you will receive a letter asking you to get in touch and to start making payments. If you’re over 75 and you download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer, you need to be covered by a TV Licence. BBC accused of ripping off licence holders with new streaming service Britbox; How to watch TV legally without a paying licence fee: You can still watch on demand TV, such as catch-up TV and on demand previews. You do need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch any TV channel on any device at the same time as it is being broadcast on TV. Generally speaking, you do not need a TV licence to watch catch-up TV online, aside from two exceptions. The things you aren't allowed to do are essentially watch or record live TV, and watch or download iPlayer TV programmes. You do not need a licence if you watch TV on demand for services including ITV Hub, All 4, Amazon Prime and Netflix, but you do need on if you are using BBC iPlayer. "If you’re watching live TV on any device, including mobiles and tablets, or watch catch up programmes on BBC iPlayer, you need to be covered by a TV Licence,” said Hill. For TV licence payment evasion, it's a Band A fine if it's under 6 months and band B if over 6 months. If they turn up at your door just shut it on them, certainly never sign anything. With the single exception of using iPlayer, if you’re not watching or recording live TV, you don’t need a licence. TV Licensing more power to use against you e.g. If you're on benefits that would be £100 pw (we don't go lower than that. Unless they can come up with some sort of evidence I (or you) are watching telly there is naff all they can actually do but bluster. You can be fined if you watch live TV but haven’t paid your licence fee (Image: PA) Read More Related Articles. If you're watching on-demand or catch-up programmes on BBC iPlayer, you will need a TV licence. The TV Licensing website says you DO need a TV licence if: You watch or record programmes as they're being shown on TV, on any channel. If you don't turn up, your RWI will be assumed to be £350, so the Band A fine would be £350, band B would be £175. You don’t need a licence to watch catch up on things like BBC iPlayer, 4oD and similar streaming services. This week the BBC has announced plans to cancel BBC-funded free TV licences for 3.7million over-75s. Anyone aged 74 or over and receiving Pension Credit can apply for a free over 75 TV Licence. If you’re sure that you don’t need a TV licence, make sure you inform TV Licensing via the online declaration form or call 0300 790 6071. You dont have to reply. BBC White paper - the key points Despite the change in the rules, however, viewers will still be able to watch other catch-up services such as 4oD, ITV Player and Demand 5 without a TV licence. Not having a TV licence is not an offence unless you are watching or recording live TV, and they need evidence of that. However, if you use it to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then you need a TV licence in order to do so, or you may be breaking the law. Free and discounted TV licences You can get a free licence if you’re 75 or older and you get Pension Credit . Debt Collector; this is because a payment card is a loan, with this card TV Licensing claim to have paid in full for your licence and upon agreeing to pay by payment card you are also agreeing to back this loan, which means you … You might wish to disable your TV fro being able to get a live signal. The recent survey also revealed that 50% of students would find it embarrassing to be caught without a TV Licence. There are actually relatively few people who fall into this bracket: fewer than 2% of households, according to TV Licensing. You will also need one if you're watching live TV anywhere else. The TV licence people have addresses that do not have a licence or only have a black and white set licence when they have a colour set. As of September 2016, you are required to hold a TV Licence in order to watch catch-up TV through BBC iPlayer. Without a licence you are perfectly at liberty to watch Netflix and even BBC shows on this, or even BBC radio, live or catch-up. You can't watch catch up TV without a licence, but you can watch shows on demand. If you have a TV set (or any other device capable of displaying a TV picture) and only use it to watch ITV, you still need a TV licence. And it doesn’t matter if you’re not using a TV – streaming on any compatible device, including computers and smartphones, counts too. But if you take advantage of the licence loophole, you … Think they take you off the list, but if they did catch you then your penalty would be greater. BBC iPlayer is the most popular catch-up service among students, with 82% of UK students using the service. Updated, August 31: From September 1, viewers watching or downloading BBC programmes on demand—be it via the iPlayer service or catch up TV—will be required to have a television licence. Once the authority has all the info, they go out in their vans and catch you, there is no getting away from it. Find out if you need a TV Licence on the TV Licensing website. They cost too much money, more than the TV licence itself at approx £150 , plus another £100 at least for a locksmith .The BBC have been reported to only take out a few warrants a year, hopefully against the sort of people who run TV licence evasion websites Capita do a brilliant job in forcing reluctant tightwads to pay their TV licence. You don’t need to buy a TV licence if you purely watch other catch-up or on-demand services, or only use your TV to watch DVDs, Blu-rays or video cassettes. A TV licence will set you back £154.50 over a year for colour TV and £52 for black and white screens. If you already have one you don’t need another one – you’re already covered. Do I need a TV Licence for iPlayer? Viewers will also still need a TV licence to watch or record live programmes broadcast on any channel, although no licence is needed for commercial catch-up services such as Netflix, All 4 or YouTube. The other person who said that the shop that sells you a new TV, notify the licence dep't is correct. You will need a TV licence to watch any show on iPlayer – even if it’s a catch-up programme or a show on demand. But this applies to non-live, catch-up TV and non-live catch-up TV only . From June 1, 2020, 3.7million pensioners will lose their right to a free TV licence… If you dont watch live TV and stay off iplayer, then you dont need one. A colour TV licence will set you back £147 a year, but you can reduce this if you are prepared to trade in your colour TV for a black and white model. However, TV Licensing says its figures show fewer than two percent of people only watch catch-up TV – so don’t cancel your licence unless you are absolutely sure you don’t need it. If you have a TV which can receive a signal then you need a licence even if you don't have an aerial whether you watch it or not. They have to catch you using it but the only safe way for them not to find out is to never switch it on which makes it a bit pointless in having one. Young people tell the BBC what they think about changes to the TV licence that will mean audiences must pay even if they only use catch-up services on BBC iPlayer. I’m over 75. According to the law, with the exception of BBC iPlayer, you don't need a TV Licence if you never watch or record live television, and only watch catch-up. What matters is whether it has a tuner and of course a TV does.