The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004

Made: 10th March 2004

Laid before Parliament: 11th March 2004

Coming into force: 1st April 2004

The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 6(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967 and sections 365(1) and (4), 368 and 402(3) of the Communications Act 2003 , as extended by the Broadcasting and Communications (Jersey) Order 2004 , the Communications (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Order 2004 and the Communications (Isle of Man) Order 2003 , with the consent of the Treasury (to the extent that the Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by section 365 of the Communications Act 2003), hereby makes the following Regulations:

PART 1 — General

Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 and shall come into force on 1st April 2004.

• (2) These Regulations extend to the Channel Islands ... except for—

• (a) Schedule 2, Part 4 and regulation 3(1)(b) so far as it relates to that Part;

• (b) regulations 10 and 11.

• (2A) These Regulations extend to the Isle of Man except for regulations 10 and 11.

• (3) In these Regulations “the Act” means the Communications Act 2003.

PART 2 — TV licence fees

Interpretation of Part 2

2

• (1) In this Part—

• “caravan” means any structure designed or adapted for habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another (whether by being towed, or by being transported on a motor vehicle or trailer) and any motor vehicle so designed or adapted;

• “digital set top box” means a television receiver whose function is to receive television programmes in digital form, and which cannot itself display, or record or otherwise store such programmes;

• “the due date” in relation to any TV licence means the date on which the licensee is required to obtain the licence in accordance with the Act whether in consequence of the expiry of a previous licence or otherwise; and

• “touring caravan” means a caravan normally used for touring from place to place.

• (2) Any reference to—

• (a) the issue of a TV licence includes a reference to the renewal of such a licence;

• (b) a person's residence includes any place provided for that person's private occupation.

TV licence fees

3

• (1) Subject to regulations 5 and 6—

• (a) on the issue of a TV licence of a type specified in an entry in column 1 of the table in Schedule 1, the fee payable shall be that specified in column 3 in relation to that type of licence;

• (b) on the issue of a TV licence of a type specified in paragraph 1, 3, 8 or 18 of Schedule 2, the person to whom the licence is issued shall be liable to make payments as provided by (as the case may be) Part 1, 2, 3 or 4 of that Schedule;

• (c) on the issue of a TV licence of a type specified in an entry in column 1 of the table in Part 1 of Schedule 3, the fee payable shall (subject to paragraph (2)) be determined in accordance with the entry in column 3 in relation to that type of licence;

• (d) on the issue of a TV licence of the type specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 4, the fee payable shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 2 of that Schedule;

• (e) on the issue of a TV licence of the type specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 5, the fee payable shall be determined in accordance with paragraph 3 of that Schedule.

• (2) In relation to a TV licence of the type specified in the second entry in column 1 of the table in Part 1 of Schedule 3, the fee is to be payable in instalments in the circumstances specified in Part 2 of that Schedule; and the amount of each of the instalments, and the dates on which they are payable, are to be determined in accordance with that Part.

• (3) Any sum payable by virtue of paragraph (1) or (2) shall be payable irrespective of the duration of the TV licence.

• (4) In the first and third entries in column 2 of the table in Schedule 1, a reference to–

• (a) installing a black and white television receiver includes a reference to installing a digital set top box in such a way that it can only be used to cause television programmes to be displayed on a television set or monitor that can display them in black and white only; and

• (b) using a black and white television receiver includes a reference to using a digital set top box installed as described in this paragraph.

Duplicate licences

4

Where a TV licence has been lost or destroyed, the sum of £4.50 shall be paid on the issue of a duplicate of such a licence; but no such sum shall be payable on the issue of a duplicate of a TV licence that was issued free of charge.

Concessions for blind persons

5

• (1) Where—

• (a) a TV licence is issued to a blind person, authorising the installation or use of a television receiver at one or more places or in one or more vehicles, vessels or caravans specified in the licence; and

• (b) each place, vehicle, vessel or caravan so specified is a residence of that person,

the fee payable (including the amount of any instalment payments) shall be 50 per cent of the amount which would otherwise be payable for the licence in accordance with regulation 3.

Concessions for persons aged 75 years or more

6

• (1) No fee shall be payable for a TV licence of a type referred to in the first or second entry in column 1 of the table in Schedule 1 where—

• (a) the licence is issued to a person aged 75 years or more or to a person who will attain that age in the calendar month in which the licence is issued; and

• (b) the single place, vehicle, vessel or caravan specified in the licence is the sole or main residence of that person.

• (2) Paragraph (1) only applies where the residence referred to in that paragraph is in the United Kingdom.... or the Isle of Man.

• (2A) No fee shall be payable for a TV licence of a type referred to in the first or second entry in column 1 of the table in Schedule 1 where—

• (a) a residence is in the Bailiwick of Guernsey (but excluding Sark);

• (b) the licence is issued to a person who has attained the age of 75 before 1st September 2016; and

• (c) the single place, vehicle, vessel or caravan specified in the licence is the sole or main residence of that person.

• (3) Where a TV licence of the type referred to in paragraph 1 of Schedule 4 is issued in respect of accommodation for residential care, in calculating the fee payable no account shall be taken of any unit of accommodation or, as the case may be, residential care dwelling that is the sole or main residence of a resident who is aged 75 years or more on the date on which the licence is issued.

• (4) In paragraph (3), the expressions “accommodation for residential care”, “resident” and “residential care dwelling” shall have the meanings given to them by Part 2 of Schedule 4.

• (5) Paragraph (3) only applies where the accommodation to which the licence relates is in the United Kingdom.

Revocation and savings

7

• (1) The Regulations specified in Schedule 6 are hereby revoked.

• (2) The Wireless Telegraphy (Television Licence Fees) Regulations 1997 shall continue to apply to any television licence issued before 1st April 2004 as they had effect immediately before that date.

• (3) In paragraph (2) the reference to a television licence is to such a licence within the meaning of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 .

PART 3 — Definitions for the purposes of the Communications Act 2003 and the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1967

Interpretation of Part 3

8

In this Part—

• “digital set top box” has the same meaning as in Part 2;

• “members of the public” means members of the public in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man;

• “on-demand programme service”, and references to the provision of such a service by the BBC, have the same meanings as in the Communications Act 2003 (and, in the application of this Part to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, they are to have the meanings which they have in the United Kingdom). If an amendment of the Communications Act 2003 changes the meaning in the United Kingdom of “on-demand programme service” or the meaning of any reference to the provision of such a service by the BBC, the change to the meaning is also to have effect in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for the purposes of this Part;

• “programme” has the same meaning as in the Act; and

• “television programme service” has the same meaning as in Part 3 of the Act.

Meaning of “television receiver”

9

• (1) Subject to paragraph (2), in Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), “television receiver” means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise)—

• (a) any television programme service, or

• (b) an on-demand programme service which is provided by the BBC,

whether or not the apparatus is installed or used for any other purpose.

• (2) But a digital set top box is not a television receiver for the purposes of that Part if it is installed in such a way that it can be used only to cause the production of sound through a device whose functions are limited to the production, or the production and recording, of sound.

• (3) In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.

Meaning of “television dealer”

10

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Meaning of “television set”

11

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SCHEDULE 1 — ISSUE FEES FOR TV LICENCES

1

TV licence (black and white only) General Form

2

TV licence (including colour) General Form

3

TV licence (black and white only) Multiple Form

4

TV licence (including colour) Multiple Form

SCHEDULE 2 — FEES FOR TV LICENCES PAYABLE BY INSTALMENTS

PART 1 — Premium instalment television licence (including colour)

1

• (1) This Part specifies the sums which are payable in respect of a TV licence known as a “Premium instalment licence (including colour)” which is described in the following provisions of this paragraph.

• (2) A licence of the type referred to in sub-paragraph (1) is a licence of the same description as that given in the second entry of column 2 of the table in Schedule 1 but where payment for the licence is to be made in instalments as provided in this Part.

• (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2

• (1) There shall be payable a first instalment of £44.89 (referred to in this paragraph as “the issue fee”) and three further instalments of £44.87.

• (2) The instalments are to be payable as follows—

• (a) the issue fee is payable on the date on which the licence is issued;

• (b) the second instalment is payable on the first day of the calendar month whose last day is 8 months before the date on which the licence expires;

• (c) the third instalment is payable on the first day of the calendar month whose last day is 5 months before the date on which the licence expires; and

• (d) the fourth instalment is payable on the first day of the calendar month whose last day is 2 months before the date on which the licence expires.

• (3) Where the licence is issued on a date which is on or after the date on which, in accordance with paragraphs (b) to (d) of sub-paragraph (2), any of the instalments referred to in those paragraphs is payable, any such instalment is to be payable on the same date as the issue fee.

PART 2 — Budget instalment television licence (including colour)

3

• (1) This Part specifies the instalments which are payable in respect of a TV licence known as a “Budget instalment television licence (including colour)” which is described in the following provisions of this paragraph.

• (2) A licence of the type referred to in sub-paragraph (1) is a licence of the same description as that given in the second entry of column 2 of the table in Schedule 1 but where payment for the licence is to be made in instalments as provided in this Part.

• (3) Such a licence is only issued where the period beginning on the date on which the licence is issued and ending on the date on which it expires is more than 8 months.

4

• (1) Paragraphs 5 and 6 and tables 1 and 2 apply where the first payment in respect of any such licence is made before the due date.

• (2) In this Part and Part 3, the relevant date is the day immediately preceding the due date.

5

• (1) This paragraph applies where the arrangements for making payments before the due date were entered into before 1st April 2025.

• (2) A first instalment (referred to in this Part as an “issue fee”) and five further instalments are to be payable in respect of such a licence on the dates set out in column 1 of table 1.

• (3) Where the first payment in respect of the issue fee is made on the first day of a period of more than 5 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each of the instalments referred to in sub-paragraph (2) shall be as set out in column 2 of table 1.

• (4) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 4 but not more than 5 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 3 of table 1.

• (5) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 3 but not more than 4 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 4 of table 1.

• (6) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 2 but not more than 3 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 5 of table 1.

• (7) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 1 but not more than 2 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 6 of table 1.

• (8) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of not more than 1 month ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 7 of table 1.

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3	Column 4	Column 5	Column 6	Column 7
Date by which the instalment is to be paid	Amount of instalment payment	Amount of instalment payment	Amount of instalment payment	Amount of instalment payment	Amount of instalment payment	Amount of instalment payment
Date on which the licence is issued (“the issue date”)	£99.75	£93.35	£85.60	£76.20	£64.45	£49.30
The last day of the period of 1 month beginning on the day immediately following the issue date	£14.95	£16.23	£17.78	£19.66	£22.01	£25.04
The last day of the period of 2 months beginning on the day immediately following the issue date	£14.95	£16.23	£17.78	£19.66	£22.01	£25.04
The last day of the period of 3 months beginning on the day immediately following the issue date	£14.95	£16.23	£17.78	£19.66	£22.01	£25.04
The last day of the period of 4 months beginning on the day immediately following the issue date	£14.95	£16.23	£17.78	£19.66	£22.01	£25.04
The last day of the period of 5 months beginning on the day immediately following the issue date	£14.95	£16.23	£17.78	£19.66	£22.01	£25.04

6

• (1) This paragraph applies where the arrangements for making payments before the due date are entered into on or after 1st April 2025.

• (2) An issue fee and five further instalments are to be payable in respect of such a licence on the dates set out in column 1 of table 2.

• (3) Where the first payment in respect of the issue fee is made on the first day of a period of more than 5 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each of the instalments referred to in sub-paragraph (2) shall be as set out in column 2 of table 2.

• (4) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 4 but not more than 5 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 3 of table 2.

• (5) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 3 but not more than 4 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 4 of table 2.

• (6) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 2 but not more than 3 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 5 of table 2.

• (7) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of more than 1 but not more than 2 months ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 6 of table 2.

• (8) Where that payment is made on the first day of a period of not more than 1 month ending on the relevant date, the amount of each such instalment shall be as set out in column 7 of table 2.