Important Information for Students Watching TV Online

TV licensing releases information that affects people who watch TV online, in particular students living away from home for the first time.

TV Licensing urges students who watch live TV online

to make sure they‘re licensed

TV Licensing reminds students to get correctly licensed if they are watching live TV online or risk a heavy fine of up to £1,000.

With Fresher students now well into their first term, TV Licensing is reminding those who watch live TV to ensure they have a valid licence, no matter what device they use to view it on.

The number of students who watch TV live online has increased significantly since last year to just under a third (29%) according to latest research. However, worryingly more than one in four (28%) of those who watch TV live online think they don’t need a licence or have no plans to buy one.

A TV Licence is required for watching or recording any programmes at the same time as they are shown on TV, regardless of the equipment used, including computers, game consoles, laptops and mobile phones.

TV Licensing is reminding students about when a licence is needed so they have all the information they need to ensure they are correctly licensed and don’t risk breaking the law. Anyone caught watching TV illegally risks prosecution and a maximum fine of £1,000.

Students can buy a licence easily and quickly in minutes at TV Licensing’s website - just visit TV Licensing for Students. TV Licensing offers a number of payment options for people to help spread the cost of paying for a licence, including by Direct Debt.

Pauline Gillingham, TV Licensing spokesperson, said:

“More and more students are choosing to watch TV in a variety of different ways, including on devices such as iPads and laptops. If they are watching TV catch-up services a licence is not needed. But, if they are watching or recording programmes, including Frozen Planet, sport or the X-Factor, at the same time as they are shown on TV they must have a valid licence or risk breaking the law.

“It’s easy to buy a TV Licence at www.tvlicensing.co.uk/studentinfo or by calling .”

Pete Mercer, National Union of Students Vice-President (Welfare) added:

“Anyone caught watching TV without a licence risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. With student budgets being so tight, it’s just not worth the risk. We would urge all students to ensure they are correctly licensed.”

ENDS

For more information please contact Farimah Darbyshire on 0207 544 3144.

Notes to Editors

*Research was conducted by Harris Interactive via Face-to-Face interviews among 200 students spread across universities in the UK in May 2011.

TV Licensing, students and the law

When you need a TV Licence:

A licence is needed if you’re watching or recording television programmes at the same time as they are being shown on TV. This is true no matter what device you’re watching on (including TV sets, laptops, mobile phones) and no matter how you’re receiving the programmes (including terrestrial, satellite, cable or digital television channels or via the internet). Anyone without a valid TV Licence who watches or records television programmes as described above risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

• If you live in halls of residence and use a device to watch/record TV in your own room, you need your own separate TV Licence
• You also need your own licence if you are sharing a house with other students and use a device to watch/record TV in your room, and your room is a separately occupied place (a separate tenancy agreement would normally indicate that this is the case).
• If you have a separate tenancy agreement but a television is only being used in a communal area, then only one licence is required.
• If you are sharing a house with other students and you use a device to watch/record TV in your own room, but the house can be treated as one place shared by all, then only one TV Licence is required (a joint tenancy agreement would usually be evidence that the house is a single licensable place for this purpose).
• A device powered by its own internal batteries - a pocket sized TV or a mobile phone for example - may be covered by a licence at the student’s parents' address.  However, you must not install the device (plug it into the mains) when using it to receive television. If there is no TV Licence at your parents’ address, you will need to obtain one to watch TV.

Cost of TV Licence:

A colour TV Licence currently costs £145.50, and a black and white licence is £49. They will remain at these rates for the next few years as the TV Licence fee has been frozen until 2017. 

For further information, simply visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/studentinfo or call TV Licensing on 0300 790 6090.

newsroom@theadvancednetwork.co.uk

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