Do Students Need A TV Licence?

If you're about to start or return to university and you've found yourself panicking over whether students need a TV licence - fear not, we're here to help.

But first, let's cover the basics...

What is a TV licence?

Essentially, a TV licence grants people in the UK legal permission to watch or record any television programmes as they are being aired live on TV or via an online TV service, and permission to download and watch BBC programmes on demand.

Crucially, a common misconception is that only those who watch the BBC require a TV licence, but this isn't the case. Households need a TV Licence if they watch or record any live TV programmes on any channel or device, no matter where they are broadcast or distributed from... unless of course you're exempt (as we'll discuss in more detail below!).

How much is a TV licence?

As it currently stands, a TV licence costs £159 per year - unless you still watch your TV in black and white, which costs just £53.50 per year. Side note: believe it or not, the BBC found in 2018 that more than 7,000 Brits were still watching TV in black and white.

Who is exempt from paying the TV licence?

There are very few exemptions when it comes to TV licences. Typically, only the following people are entitled to a free TV licence:

• The licence holder is 75 years or older AND

• The licence holder or their partner living at the same address receives Pension Credit

Those who are severely sight impaired are also entitled to a 50% concession, meaning their licence will cost £79.50, and those living in certain types of residential care and who are disabled or over 60 and retired are similarly eligible for concessions.

Do students need a TV licence?

BBC iPlayer Regulations

Ah-Ha! A loophole... and we love a loophole.

The majority of students don't need to pay for an extra TV Licence to watch BBC favourites such as Peaky Blinders or Flea Bag via BBC iPlayer, despite changes back in September 2016.

Under the 2016 licensing regulations, anyone who downloaded or streamed on-demand TV from BBC iPlayer needed to pay for a TV licence - an update to the rules which conveniently came in just as students were heading back to university...

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If it wasn't any more obvious that TV Licensing wanted to burn a hole in students' pockets, they also made it clear that students were a big part in the change of regulations, as part of its statement read:

"Research by TV Licensing has revealed iPlayer is the most popular catch-up platform used by students, ahead of sites such as YouTube and services including Netflix."

But one student from Loughborough wasn't having any of it and created a petition that was eventually signed by 18,000 calling for a student exemption on this rule.

The regulation is still in force today, however the loophole, which was mentioned in the official press release on the TV Licensing website, states that:

"In limited circumstances, students can be covered by the licence at their parents’ address. The device must be powered by its own internal batteries – e.g. a tablet or mobile phone – and must not be plugged into the mains when receiving television."

So, as long as they can answer 'yes' to all of the following, students can watch iPlayer without a TV Licence:

1. You're watching on a device that is functioning on its own battery power, without being plugged into the mains (e.g. a laptop or phone).

2. Your parents have a TV Licence.

3. Your parents' home address is your main address, meaning it's where you live when you're not living at uni.

This is saving you and your housemates a sweet £154.00 a year.

Watching live television

It gets a little more complicated when it comes to watching live television, though. Unfortunately, if you watch or record TV on any channel or watch TV live on any streaming service, you'll have to fork out for a TV licence.

This applies to any device you use to stream the live TV, whether that's a TV, laptop, desktop computer, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder (remember those?!).

This includes those living in student halls.

The only exemptions are if:

• Your out-of-term address (parents’ address) is covered by a TV Licence AND

• You only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries AND

• You have not connected it to an aerial or plugged it into the mains.

However, you may be pleased to hear that if you spend some of the calendar year away from uni, you can typically claim a refund for any unused full months.

Do you need a TV licence to watch Netflix?

Last but not least - let's talk about Netflix.

The BBC’s TV Licensing website addresses this frequently asked question directly, stating: “You don’t need a TV Licence if you only ever use Netflix or other online TV services to watch on demand or catch up programmes".

Essentially, as long as you're not streaming or recording live TV, you're covered. This can also apply to other streaming services, however there are some crucial exceptions. When it comes to NOW TV and Amazon Prime, for example, these services offer live TV which you'll need a TV licence to watch.

If you have any doubts about being covered you can call 0300 790 6113 or check out the TV licensing for students guidelines here.