Household Bills
TV Licence Explained: When You Need One and How to Pay
You need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV on any channel or device, or to use BBC iPlayer. If you only watch other on-demand services, you do not need one.
- Live TV on any device
- BBC iPlayer included
- Free at 75+ with Pension Credit
Keeps the amount and the renewal date with your other household bills.
Your TV Licence
- Amount
- From TV Licensing
- Renewal date
- On record
- Address
- Updated when you move
Example. Your own details appear once you add them.
Do you need a TV Licence
You need one
- Live TV
- Watching or recording programmes as they are shown, on any channel.
- Any device
- A TV, laptop, phone, tablet or games console.
- BBC iPlayer
- Anything on iPlayer, live or on demand.
You do not
- On demand only
- Other streaming services, never watched live.
- No TV at all
- DVDs, games, or nothing; tell TV Licensing.
- Moved out
- Update the address, or ask about a refund.
General information. TV Licensing states the rules and the current fee.
The full guide
You need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes as they are shown live, on any channel and any device, or to watch or download anything on BBC iPlayer. If you only watch other on-demand services, and never live TV or iPlayer, you do not need one.
When you need one
| What you watch | TV Licence needed |
|---|---|
| Live TV on any channel, on a TV, laptop, phone or games console | Yes |
| BBC iPlayer, live or on demand | Yes |
| Other on-demand services, never live | No |
| DVDs, games, or nothing at all | No |
The fee and how it is paid
The fee is set by the government and usually changes on 1 April; TV Licensing shows the current amount. You can pay it in one payment or spread it by direct debit. One licence covers one address, so a shared house on a single tenancy normally needs one, and lodgers with their own agreement may need their own.
Concessions
- Free for someone aged 75 or over who receives Pension Credit, or lives with a partner who does.
- Half price for someone who is blind (severely sight impaired).
- A reduced fee in some residential care homes.
Moving, or no longer needing one
When you move, update the licence to the new address with TV Licensing. If you stop watching live TV and iPlayer, tell TV Licensing; you may be able to get a refund for full months left on the licence.
How Wisemium helps
Add the TV Licence to Wisemium with its amount and renewal date, and it sits with the rest of your household costs. Wisemium does not sell or renew TV Licences; that is done with TV Licensing.
Keeps the amount and the renewal date with your other household bills.
Common questions
Do I need a TV Licence to watch Netflix?
Not for Netflix or other on-demand services alone. You need one if you also watch live TV on any channel or use BBC iPlayer.
Do I need a TV Licence for BBC iPlayer?
Yes, for watching or downloading anything on iPlayer, live or on demand.
Is the TV Licence free for over-75s?
Only for someone aged 75 or over who receives Pension Credit, or lives with a partner who does.
Useful to someone you know?