With the TV licence fee set to rise from £150.50 to £154.50 by the 1st April 2019, we’re likely to see the reoccurring debate of whether we really need the TV licence once again. An estimated 250,000 homes currently do not hold a TV licence and it seems that some Brits across the UK are at risk of facing a fine of up to £1,000. To help ease the confusion, Peter Goodchild, associate professor at the Bloomsbury campus of The University of Law, shares advice to help TV owners understand when they need to purchase a licence, how much it costs, and the potential consequences of avoiding paying for a licence. Do I really need a licence? If you are a homeowner/tenant of a property and you watch or record programmes on a TV, computer or other device as the programme is being broadcast live, and/or you download or watch BBC programmes on iPlayer, then a TV licence is required. By purchasing a licence, you will cover the property for anyone in that residence that watched live through a TV set, computer, laptop, tablets, mobile phone any other device that can receive a TV signal. You don’t need a licence if you are watching non-BBC programmes on online catch-up services, videos or DVDs, clips on websites that aren’t live broadcast (e.g. YouTube) and closed-circuit television (CCTV). How much will it cost me? The cost for a full colour TV licence is currently £154.50 per year, which can be paid monthly, quarterly or in one lump sum. However, there is also a licence for black and white TV sets which costs £50.50 per year. Am I exempt from paying for a licence? The only exemption from the TV licence is if you’re aged 75 or older. Individuals can get a discounted licence if they have a severe vision impairment or if they live in a residential care home, the person who oversees the home can apply for a licence on the individuals behalf. What happens if I don’t get a licence? If caught without a TV licence, then you can face a fine of up to £1,000 and any legal costs or compensation will be covered. It is estimated that over 250,000 homes currently don’t have a TV licence, 33,000 of these are occupied by young people – all putting themselves at risk of facing a fine. The TV Licensing agency have a national database of all licence holders and have enforcement officers that check for TV owners, and they also have a fleet of detector vans that can target homes that they think don’t own a licence.