HOUSEHOLDS struggling amid the cost of living crisis can save £159 through a little-known rule.
A TV Licence costs £159 a year or £53.50 if you’ve got a black and white television.
AlamyHouseholds could save £159 a year with this TV licence rule[/caption]
The charge was set up by the Government and the price has been frozen until 2024.
You have to buy one if you want to watch or record TV programmes being broadcast live rather than on demand or catch-up.
You also have to purchase one if you want to watch anything on BBC iPlayer, even if it’s on demand or catch-up.
However, there are some scenarios where you don’t need the licence.
For example, you don’t have to pay for one if you are watching programmes on demand on services such as Netflix.
You also don’t need a licence if you use services such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go and more, to stream shows on demand or through catch up.
But remember, you will need a TV Licence if you’re watching live shows on these same platforms.
And in any case, if you want to use BBC iPlayer at all, you will need to be covered by a TV Licence.
The rules apply even if you are watching programmes being broadcast live on a PC, laptop, tablet or phone rather than an actual TV set.
It’s worth noting you don’t have to pay for a TV Licence at all if you are on Pension Credit and aged 75 or over.
You can apply for the discount on the TV Licencing website, but hundreds of thousands are missing out.
What happens if you don’t pay for a TV Licence?
If you’re found to not have a TV Licence you need to pay in full as soon as possible or risk being prosecuted.
Plus, you may get a fine of up to £1,000 on top (£2,000 in Guernsey or £500 in Jersey).
If you don’t pay a fine you can be jailed in a court of law.
But if you’re absolutely sure you no longer need one you can formally let TV Licensing know.
Although there’s no legal obligation to do this, it will prevent them sending you reminders.
The first thing to do as part of this process is cancel your payments.
If you pay by direct debit you can cancel it by filling out TV Licensing’s contact form, confirming you no longer watch TV along with your current address.
You’ll also need to cancel your direct debit with your bank.
If you pay with a TV Licensing payment card, you’ll need to call 0300 555 0286.
Everyone who no longer requires a TV licence should then fill out a “No Licence Needed” declaration form.
Make sure you keep the confirmation email from TV Licensing as proof.
You may also be eligible for a refund if you won’t need your licence again before it expires, and you have at least one complete month left on it. Just fill in the request a refund form.
TV Licensing may visit your property to ensure you are telling the truth and no errors have been made.
The bureau says these inspections find one in five who have cancelled their TV licence actually still need one – that’s around 900 households a day.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]