If you have a TV, you could be hit with fines of up to £1,000 if you’re caught watching without a TV licence. However, not everyone is aware of the rules when it comes to who needs one and who doesn’t.
According to the 2003 Communications Act, you need a TV licence to watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as they’re broadcast, and to watch on-demand BBC programmes on iPlayer. A TV licence currently costs £169.50, with discounts available for people aged 75 or over and on pension credit, people who are blind, and people in residential care.
The TV Licence company, supported by the BBC, frequently warns that their ‘detector vans’ are out on UK streets, ready to slap hefty fines on anyone caught breaking the rules. This comes after the shocking news that a staggering half a million homes ditched their TV Licences between 2023-2024, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The fee must be paid annually
(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)
The TV Licence authority has issued a stern warning, stating: “We have a database of approximately 31 million licensed and unlicensed addresses. This tells us if your address has a TV Licence. All our visiting officers have access to this database. This means they can check if you have a licence or not.”
They added, “If you tell us that you do not need a TV Licence, our officers may still visit you to confirm this. We also have a fleet of detector vans that can detect the use of TV receiving equipment at specifically targeted addresses within minutes. The TV Licencing authority can then take the matter to court. If the courts find you guilty, the magistrates will decide the level of fine.”
The TV Licence company explained the full breakdown of potential costs if you’re caught without a licence:
- A maximum fine of up to £1,000
- A victim surcharge of 40% of the fine
- If you live in England or Wales In Scotland, Channel Isles or Isle of Man there is no equivalent, but a court can award compensation
- In Northern Ireland, the surcharge is called the offender levy and is £15 and the court often awards compensation
- Prosecution costs of around £120 if you live in England, Wales or Isle of Man.
- In Scotland and the Channel Isles there are no costs, and in Northern Ireland we request loss of revenue costs.
- This could mean that the total maximum fine and costs could reach £1,520.
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