Listening to BBC radio stations or using BBC Sounds does not require a TV Licence, even though the BBC is often associated with TV licensing. The TV Licence costs £180 a year and is needed for certain TV services, including some BBC viewing, but listening is treated differently under the rules.
TV Licensing states: “No, you do not need a TV Licence to listen to the radio (including on BBC Sounds).” The BBC also says you “don’t need a TV licence to use BBC Sounds”, explaining that the law applies to “watching and downloading TV programmes, including via BBC iPlayer”.
What does a TV Licence cover?
A TV Licence covers a wide range of services, including everything on BBC iPlayer, all TV channels such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels, live TV on streaming services like YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, and pay TV services like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV. This includes recording and downloading on any device.
A standard TV Licence costs £180 a year, while a black-and-white licence costs £60.50. If you don’t watch any of the covered services, you don’t need to pay.
Fines and additional costs
If you use any of the covered services without a licence, TV Licensing warns: “If the courts find you guilty, the magistrates will decide the level of fine. You may have to pay a maximum fine of up to £1,000 (up to £2,000 if you live in Guernsey).” You cannot be sent to prison for a TV Licensing conviction, but you might have to pay other charges.
In England or Wales, you may face a victim surcharge of 40% of the fine and prosecution costs of around £120. In Northern Ireland, an offender levy of £15, loss of revenue costs requested by TV Licensing, and prosecution costs of at least £25 may apply. In Scotland, the Channel Isles or Isle of Man, loss of revenue costs requested by TV Licensing may be charged.
Email updates and changing preferences
TV Licensing warns that households risk a fine of up to £1,000 if they don’t stay on top of their settings. When you buy a Licence, “you are required to provide a valid email address”. Officials may use your contact details to send updates, including reminders when your licence is close to expiring. If you miss those emails and your licence runs out, you could end up watching live TV or BBC iPlayer without a valid licence.
It is the account holder’s responsibility to update TV Licensing if their email address changes. TV Licensing explains: “If you do not inform TV Licensing of any changes and consequently do not receive an email reminder that your next TV Licence is due, you will remain fully responsible and liable to pay the licence fee and to ensure that you are properly licensed and may still be prosecuted if you are found to be using a TV receiver to receive television programmes without a TV Licence.”
You can change your preferences via the TV Licensing website by logging into your account, by phone or post at TV Licensing, Darlington, DL98 1TL, or by phoning 0300 790 6165. TV Licensing supports the Relay UK service for those who are deaf, have hearing loss or are speech impaired. You can also change preferences via secure links in emails, though a minority of emails will not contain unsubscribe instructions.
If you no longer wish to receive emails, TV Licensing states you can let them know, but if you “do so less than a month before your current TV Licence expires”, you may still be contacted via email. The changes may not come into effect in time to receive a renewal reminder by post, as it takes up to four weeks to switch preferences from email to postal communications.
