As explained by the TV Licence's official website, all UK households require a licence if they wish to watch or record programmes on a TV as and when they are broadcast. This includes all stations including the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and many more.
People also require a TV licence if they watch or steam programmes live via an online TV service on any device including tablets, gaming consoles, laptops and mobile phones.
Examples of these include the BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV and Sky Go to name a few.
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However, The Express reports that Britons do not need a valid TV Licence if they are watching catch-up episodes which aren't being broadcast live - with the exemption of the BBC iPlayer, which patrons need a licence for regardless. So for example, say a viewer wants to watch a boxset on All 4 or the ITV Hub - they will not need a licence as long as it isn't being broadcast live.
This rule means that users of Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus and Britbox are exempt from purchasing a TV Licence, so long as they steer clear of other apps which broadcast live television. Amazon Prime consumers can also be included in this group, unless they choose to watch live sport being broadcast through the site. In this instance, they will have to pay.
If you've mistakenly took out a TV Licence, or you no longer need one - there's also good news, in that you can apply for a refund before its expiration date. In order to do this, you need at least one month left on your current plan.
People may also be entitled for reimbursement if their licence expired less than two years ago, and can also apply for a refund up to 14 days before they no longer need the licence. Britons will then be required to fill out a refund form which can be found on the TV Licence website.
The application process asks for the licence holder's name, licence number, personal address and postcode - and also requires noting of the date from which the licence is no longer needed. Handy guidance is also available for those who struggle with said application forms.
If accepted, the TV Licensing company will in-turn attempt to issue a refund within 21 days of said application.
However, if someone is found to be continuing to watch live TV after cancelling their TV Licence, they are liable to fines of up to £1,000 - with inspectors regularly doing the rounds to check up on non-licenced residents across the United Kingdom.
Tv Licencing's annual report for 2021-22 indicated that in the margin of 1.96 million UK household stopped paying the fee altogether last year, in a warning that licence fee income could decline further in the coming years. This is mainly due to people making the switchover to popular streaming services for a fraction of cable prices.
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