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Television Licences

Anyone who has a television set or video recorder which can receive authorised broadcast programmes (i.e. BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, cable television or Sky TV) needs a TV licence. There are separate licences for colour and black-and-white TVs - a colour licence currently costs £139.50 a year, and a black-and-white licence is £47.00 a year.

If you have a video recorder you must have a colour licence even if the video is only used with a black-and-white TV.

Students and TV licences

If you are a full-time student living away from home you will require a TV licence unless you only use a portable, battery-operated set.

If you are living in halls of residence you will need to have a TV licence if you have a TV.  If you are living in privately rented property in Bath and have a joint and several contract you will only need to buy one TV licence per property.  If you have signed individual contracts or have locks on your bedroom doors you will need to buy a licence per TV.
You can even apply for a refund if you are not going to be using the TV at the named property for 3 consecutive months find out more from TV Licensing or call the student helpline 0844 800 6721.
 

Ways of paying for a TV licence:

You can no longer buy a TV licence at the Post Office.
TV Licensing aims to make it as easy as possible for you to buy your TV licence which is why it has so many ways which you can use:

  • Over-the-counter - you can now pay at any of the 19,000 PayPoint outlets across the UK.
  • Direct Debit - you can set up monthly, quarterly or annual payments to TV Licensing and these can be set up online.
  • Online - you can now pay online with a Debit or credit card at www.tvlicensing.co.uk
  • Over the phone - you can pay by Debit or Credit card including Maestro, Delta and Connect.
  • By post - you can send a cheque made payable to TV Licensing to TV Licensing, Freepost, BS89, Bristol, BS1 1TL

 

For more information about any of the payment options and concessions, to set up Direct Debit payments or to pay over the phone by debit or credit card please call 0800 3282020 free phone.

 

THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR NOT POSSESSING A TV LICENCE IS £1000.