Television tax - should you pay

Mister Panda,

 It's free for the elderly and disabled, reduced rates are available for the poor, a Black & White license is cheaper than the standard (for which you can only use it with a B&W telly), and you always have the option of not having a telly - radio only is free. 

If you never watch/listen/surf the BBC, but still own a telly, you alas still have to pay the tax. 

actually... if you are blind, you get a discount, if you are elderly, you  get a discount. If you do not own a television, either black or white, you do have to pay a radio tax. Only if you do not own a pc, television, or radio do you not have to pay the tax.

Personally, I think they should do what USA does. The broadcast companies get their monies from monthly subscriptions. If you do not watch BBC, you dont order it, therefore, you dont have to pay it. Fair is fair. I fork over 125.00 a year on the TV tax, and I dont get all the bbc channels, while the ones I do get do not have that great of a reception.  I have to purchase freeview, or sky to view all 8 bbc channels. I dont honestly think it's fair but whatever. I just pay a bit each month when i pay for sky and consider it done.

YOU OWN A TV OR VIDEO RECORDER... LICENCE REQUIREMENT
Simply owning a TV, VCR or DVD NO
Plugging TV/VCR/DVD to mains NO
Playing back pre-recorded video via VCR or DVD on TV NO
Use TV as computer games monitor NO
Reception of any TV broadcast via aerial or similar YES
Connection to and reception of cable, satellite, desk top box YES
Use in connection with PC with streaming media/PC card YES
Recording any TV broadcasts on VCR YES

 YOUR OWN SET UP  LICENCE
REQUIREMENT 
Reception of terrestrial TV (e.g. BBC1, ITV, Channel 4) YES
UK and/or foreign satellite stations (e.g. Sky) YES
Continental/Republic of Ireland TV broadcasts only YES
Reception of any TV broadcast via set top box (home/abroad) YES
Reception of any TV broadcast via cable (home/abroad) YES
Any digital TV broadcast channels (UK/abroad) YES
Live TV via streaming media, PC card of any TV broadcasts, (home/abroad) YES
Use of internet to browse archived programme services websites.  NO
Recording of any TV broadcast (home/abroad) YES
Unmodified TV for playback of pre-recorded commercial Video/DVD (no TV broadcasts received or recorded) NO
Unmodified TV for computer gaining (no TV broadcasts received or recorded)  NO
Unmodified TV for CCTV/ surveillance (no TV broadcasts received or recorded) NO
Unmodified TV as computer monitor (no TV broadcasts received or recorded) NO
Video monitor for pre-recorded commercial video; or modified TV disabled for TV reception NO
TV reception/recording in second home YES
Student in own room/bedsit/hall room/flat YES
Touring caravan NO
Static caravan if TV broadcasts received simultaneously at home YES
Static caravan if no TV broadcasts received simultaneous at licenced address NO
Radio broadcast reception only NO
Blind people and those over 75 for TV reception/recording* YES

* Most blind people qualify for half price licences. People over 75 can receive a free licence

The Radio licence was abolished in 1971

If you do not own a television, either black or white, you do have to pay a radio tax.

At one time yes, but the radio receiving license was abolished way back in 1971.  

Only if you do not own a pc, television, or radio do you not have to pay the tax.

Legally, you do not require a license unless you receive, or have installed equipment such that it is capable of receiving, TV broadcasts.  Anything else does not require a license.    A PC would require a license only if it's hooked up to receive TV brioadcasts in one way or another.  You do not need a license to merely own a TV set, only to actually use it to receive broadcasts.

Got sidetracked while posting.  Kate beat me to it!   

Static caravan if TV broadcasts received simultaneously at home YES
Static caravan if no TV broadcasts received simultaneous at licenced address NO

And you can guess at how likely it is anyone would be able to coordinate checks and actually prove that the sets were in use simultaneously.   

TV reception/recording in second home YES

A bone of contention with second-home owners, especially those who shut up their main home for the duration of their holiday when if their second-home was a caravn they would be exempt from buying a second license.

From earlier times -  Big Brother is watching you!   



The first TV detector vans:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/1/newsid_2521000/2521357.stm

Just a warning if you are going to try to get away without paying.....four summers ago the detector vans were sent around en mass during the World Cup, during England games, when a higher proportion of people were watching their TV's.  Expect the same this year...

I don't like the TV license, and would rather the whole lot were privatised.  However, I do have a choice.  I mean, I don't actually *have* to have a TV do I?  My entire existence doesn't depend upon it.

Victoria

We don't have a TV over here...I know, shocking!     I was a big TV person, but when we came, we weren't sure how long we'd be over here with hubbies work permit, so we decided to save the $ on a TV and on the license and just skip it all together. I must say, it was a bit hard at first, especially with the quiet nights in our village. After 5 months now, I can honestly say I don't really miss it....I've been doing a lot more reading and DH and I play a lot of board/card games.

We had to talk/write to the TV license people a few times to have it on their record that we don't have a TV. They were fine and although we get pesky letters from them sometimes, when we call they say to just ignore it.

We don't have a TV over here...I know, shocking! 

Woo hoo - glad jklm and I are not the only ones!

I think you'll find that the number of people who do not watch broadcast TV has been growing steadily in recent years as the quality has deteriorated.     That's not just the quality of the material itself, but also the quality of the presentation.  You can't even see a show through to the end now without having flying captions telling you what's on next superimposed or having the closing sequences shrunk to the size of a postage stamp so they can preview four other channels at the same time.

I'd be quite content to just watch tapes/DVDs of the old movies and TV series that I like, many of which are no longer re-run on broadcast TV these days anyway.  I know I'm far from being alone.