England fans hit with £1,000 fines for little known TV Licence rule
Everyone wants to watch England in Euro 2024 but you could be hit with a fine for this little known rule
England fans watching Euro 2024 have been hit with a warning over a £1,000 fine for a little known rule.
After months of waiting and four long years since England’s agonising final defeat last time around, Euro 2024 is finally here.
The Euros kicks off tonight as England’s two biggest rivals go head to head, with host nation Germany taking on Scotland on ITV1 at 8pm.
And on Sunday, Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions start their campaign with a group match against Serbia on BBC One.
But football fans might not realise there is a little known rule about the TV Licence which could see you slapped with a £1,000 fine.
Do I need a TV Licence to watch Euro 2024?
The TV Licence rules state that you must ha ve a TV Licence, currently £169.50, to watch any live TV on any channel, including BBC and ITV, which are the two channels broadcasting games.
You still need a TV Licence to watch them on catch up too, or to watch them live on YouTube.
But there is an odd loophole aimed largely at students which allows you to watch live TV without a TV Licence.
People whose parents or guardians have a TV Licence can watch live TV and BBC iPlayer on a smartphone, tablet or laptop that is not plugged in or charging at the time, without paying for their own Licence.
Yes, oddly, the rules state that if the device is ‘powered solely by its own batteries’ you can watch live TV on it legally while you’re away at halls or uni, as long as your parents have a TV Licence at home.
TV Licensing says: “If your device is not plugged in (ie you’re watching or recording live TV programmes on any channel, or downloading or watching BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer, using devices powered solely by internal batteries) you will be covered by your home TV Licence.
“If you plug your device into the mains, you’ll be covered if that property already has a TV Licence. Otherwise, you’ll need to buy a separate TV Licence for that property.”
In other words, it’s totally legal - until the moment you plug your laptop in.
TV Licensing adds: “"You could be prosecuted if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally. The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay."
