TV licence fee: Is it value for money – or should you apply for the £159 refund? | Personal Finance | Finance

As the cost of living crisis continues and energy bills soar, Britons are looking to make savings wherever they can. One way they can save a little bit of cash is to get a TV Licence refund. However, people need to be sure they do not need or use a TV licence anymore, as those who are found to have streamed a programme live without a licence could be hit with a £1,000 fine.

The maximum fine for those based in Guernsey is £2,000.

A TV Licence costs £159 per year and people will need one if they watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel, watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service, or download or watch any BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer.

The other online TV hubs include ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, and, Sky Go.

Owning a TV Licence allows programmes to be watched on any device or provider a person uses, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, or digital box.

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People do not need a TV Licence if they are watching things on catchups that are not being shown live, the BBC is an exception to this rule.

People will not need to purchase a TV Licence if they are watching something on Netflix, DisneyPlus, or Britbox.

Amazon Prime can be included in this group however if a person watches something such as live sport, which is being broadcast through the site, then they will need to pay.

If people believe that they do not need to purchase the TV Licence anymore then they are able to request a refund and in some cases, they can receive the entire £159.

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It is also used to fund all BBC online and app services such as news, sport, weather, CBeebies, CBBC, BBC Food, Bitesize, arts, and BBC Three.

BBC Sounds and BBC World Service is also funded by the licence fee.

On its website, TV licencing said: “By buying a licence you support the creation of BBC programmes and services, and new ways of bringing them to you. Our purpose is to ensure as much of the fee as possible goes towards funding them.

“Even though the ways we watch and listen are changing, the licence fee also allows the BBC’s UK services to remain independent and free from commercial advertising.”