The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004

[^key-73b543a2dc340428656beb013c1a33ac]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(17) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-8ea687d916d4548468c4676ac1220fb3]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(18)(a) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-ebf8fc190005a7b05a9b2f6a7a55fd1b]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 13(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(18)(b) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-f5b7062f4dd9c3161fe9a62579b8411e]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 14(1) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(19) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-f47e0b40c226483eddd57e2a6521c8f8]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 14(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(20) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-82807256d6c717ee3e09d9cd67e9b1bb]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 14(2)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(21) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-444794da690120b88f555948135a2f89]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 14(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(22)(a) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-6597f673f36964557f223b622bbf90e1]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 14(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(22)(b) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-d080c6a8c2962cb63e429e9db6c61b42]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 14(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(23) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-05698dff2226f017ab89bc1153fd00e6]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 15(1) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(24) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-79de4d3543f508d59f212576ab21efe8]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 15(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(25) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-dc932bb0a4614dffc6327987a7758ca3]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 15(2)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(26) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-0538dbd2ea6450eb0240192bdcbca2e6]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 15(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(27) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-1dc9a891a0c1b13d73177361ebe5715f]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 15(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(28) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-46a99abc5b0ed0e7ebc2739178690e86]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(29) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-c2356cb373f35f1af4daa08e05eba3e9]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(30)(a) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-ebbe4f0f5a445efbe7f867a7556105ab]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(30)(b) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-ba3b181f0ed88f21189bc3e018d0c478]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(31) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-f996c67a8b17fb314278017a6918b5a2]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(32)(a) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-61ae1ad3c3d7d1a90d93b52cab563239]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 16(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(32)(b) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-ebd5ee294a8aa581eb591db61a2ff95f]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 17(2)(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(33) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-f0f13e1a720be3d17ff9e6eabb6fd8ea]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 17(2)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(34) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-24f79cc8cb5eee7da411be97062e63ef]: Words in Sch. 2 para. 17(2)(c) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(35) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-77b8abf54891a443c3fb34c34219e4b6]: Sum in Sch. 2 para. 17(2)(d) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 4(36) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-132efcde95416c827e28c4e76b062399]: Sch. 2 para. 21 Table 1 substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 Table 1 (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-2c0deeb3e6c51840143a8ed62469c427]: Sch. 2 para. 21 Table 2 substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 Table 2 (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-b8f8518c1b8c1b10a110b00f39785cbb]: Sum in Sch. 5 para. 1(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 5(2)(a) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-5c3039370173c9b81effc18ad216afa8]: Sum in Sch. 5 para. 1(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 5(2)(b) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-e646b804435d02f8b52382c790cbbc6f]: Sum in Sch. 5 para. 3(1)(a) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 5(3) (with reg. 1(3))

[^key-73e1b862c945ccc368e58e75cfe491d8]: Sum in Sch. 5 para. 3(1)(b) substituted (1.4.2025) by The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/133), regs. 1(2), 5(4) (with reg. 1(3))

PART4 — Simple payment plan licence (not black and white only)

18

• (1) This Part deals with a TV licence to be known as a “Simple payment plan licence (not black and white only)” (in this Part referred to as a “simple payment licence”).

• (2) A simple payment licence is a licence of the same description as that given in the second entry of column 2 of the table in Schedule 1 (TV licence (including colour)) but where—

• (a) the licence is to be issued only in accordance with paragraphs 19 and 20, and

• (b) payment for the licence is to be made in instalments as set out in paragraph 21.

• (3) In this Part—

• “issue date”, in relation to a simple payment licence, means the date on which the licence is issued;

• “expiry date”, in relation to a simple payment licence, means the date specified in the licence as being the last day that the licence is valid.

19

• (1A) A simple payment licence is to be issued only to a person who is in any of circumstances A to E (see paragraph 20).

20

• (1) Circumstance A is that the person—

• (a) has been visited for enforcement purposes on or after 1st April 2020 about a TV licensing offence, and

• (b) is not, immediately before the issue date, authorised under a TV licence to install or use a TV receiver.

• (2) Circumstance B is that the person has, within the period of 6 months ending with the issue date, received advice from a relevant debt advice organisation in relation to any of the person’s financial obligations ....

• (3) Circumstance C is that the person—

• (a) held a TV licence (other than a simple payment licence) within the period of 6 months ending with the issue date,

• (b) failed to make one or more payments in respect of that licence, and

• (c) is not, immediately before the issue date, authorised under a TV licence to install or use a TV receiver.

• (3A) Circumstance D is that the person held a simple payment licence within the period of 12 months ending with the issue date.

• (3B) Circumstance E is that the person—

• (a) is experiencing significant difficulties in meeting essential household expenses, and

• (b) is not, immediately before the issue date, authorised under a TV licence to install or use a TV receiver.

• (4) In this paragraph—

• “a relevant debt advice organisation” means an organisation that provides debt counselling, or other financial advice, to persons in financial difficulty without charge to those persons.

• “TV licensing offence” means an offence under—section 363(2) of the Act (installing or using a television receiver without a licence),section 363(3) of the Act (possessing or controlling a receiver and intending to install or use it without a licence etc), orsection 366(8) of the Act (obstructing or failing to assist a person using powers to enforce TV licensing).

21

• (1) This paragraph specifies the different instalments which are payable in different circumstances in respect of a simple payment licence.

• (2) Where the person to whom the simple payment licence is issued elects, before or on the issue date, to pay fortnightly instalments, sub-paragraphs (2A) to (2D) apply.

• (2A) An issue fee is payable on the issue date.

• (2B) Further instalments are payable at fortnightly intervals with the first being payable on the date which is the last day of the period of 2 weeks beginning with the date immediately following the issue date.

• (2C) The number of further instalments is determined by the number of complete fortnights in the period beginning with the date on which the first instalment falls due and ending with the expiry date.

• (2D) The amounts of the issue fee and each further instalment are determined according to the number of further instalments payable, as set out in Table 1.

• (2E) Where the person to whom the simple payment licence is issued elects, before or on the issue date, to pay monthly instalments, sub-paragraphs (2F) to (2I) apply.

• (2F) An issue fee is payable on the issue date.

• (2G) Further instalments are payable at monthly intervals with the first being payable on the date which is the last day of the period of one month beginning with the day immediately following the issue date.

• (2H) The number of further instalments is determined by the number of complete months in the period beginning with the date on which the first instalment falls due and ending with the expiry date.

• (2I) The amounts of the issue fee and of each further instalment are determined according to the number of further instalments payable as set out in Table 2.